Angel Eyes
by Khaotik Mined
Summary: Opie's baby sister, Aubrey has known Chibs for years, never really seeing him until that night. Now she can't get him outta her mind. FYI - I own nothing of Son's of Anarchy. That credit goes to the genius Kurt Sutter. Only my OC belongs to me.! Rated M for some sex, violence and language. It's SOA, what else would it be?
1. Chapter 1

**So I was frustrated with the story and decided to do some re-writes. The early chapters kind of stay the same, it's the later chapters that you'll see the difference in. I hope you like this one just as much. Actually, I hope you like it more. As always, please read and review.**

* * *

**Opie's POV**

The screen door squeals and slams, followed by the sound of heels against the tiled hallway. A stunning red-haired woman breezes into the kitchen and heads for the fridge. Her tank-top gives anyone a full view of her ample chest and skinny waist. Her vibrant tattoos covering her upper torso are a stark contrast to her flawless porcelain complexion. She spins around with a bottle of water in her small hand. Her emerald eyes flash with recognition. I lean quietly against the counter, waiting patiently.

"OH MY GOD OPIE!" She shrieks as she sprints across the kitchen.

"Aubrey, how's my baby sister?" A large smile spreads across my face as I sweep her up in a rough embrace.

"When did you get home?" she squeals as I set her back down gently. Donna leans against the doorway, grinning from ear to ear.

"This morning, early. Donna told me you were planning to watch the kids today so I told her to surprise you."

"I'm. . . Oh. . . Does dad know? Is Jax on his way over?" she asks and my smile fades

"Nah, we just want to keep this quiet for a day, maybe two." I ignore the look she shoots me. Donna's face twists in anger. She turns and walks away from the room. She'd rather not tell anyone that I'm home, ever. I run my hand through my beard and sigh.

"Oops, sorry." She smiles shyly.

"No, no don't be. You didn't know. Hell I didn't even know how mad she still is till I got home today. Just hold off on making an announcement. I'll call dad tomorrow morning. Let him make the phone calls to the guys. I'm on paper anyway. I need to keep my head down." She nodded her agreement and we walked to the living room to catch up.

* * *

**Aubrey's POV**

My brother has changed. The time he spent in prison weighs across his shoulders like I've seen many times. His homecoming fills an empty space in so many of our lives recently. Although, his request to hold off on telling the club comes as a shock, I understand why. He needs space. Fixing his family has to come first. Five years is too long.

He drops me off in Donna's car later that evening and declines my invitation to come in. I get why he says no. It's late; no doubt that Piney is passed out. I stand in the yard, staring at the darkened windows, trying to talk myself into going inside. I really don't want to play nurse. Instead, I decide to sleep at Auntie Gemma's tonight. That lady takes me in all the time when Piney is too much to handle for the night.

I knock on the door and the beautifully aged woman quickly ushers me in. She busies herself making me something to eat before shoving a worn out pair of Jaxson's sweats into my hands to sleep in. After placing a kiss on my forehead, she heads off to her own room. I head to the bathroom for a shower before crashing in the guest bedroom. Snuggling under the heavy blankets, I quickly fade into a deep sleep.

* * *

The morning sun peeking through the curtains wakes me the next morning. I quietly make my way down the hall toward the amazing smell of breakfast that floods the entire house. I stretch my arms over my head as I enter the warm kitchen. Uncle Clay is already at the table, reading the paper. I cross over and kiss the man's hardened cheek.

"Morning Uncle Clay." I grab an orange and sit down with my knees tucked to my chest.

"Morning Sweetie. You spend the night?" he asks as he drinks his coffee. Gemma walks in carrying plates overflowing with eggs, bacon and waffles. She sets a heaping plate in front of me and pours me a glass of milk.

"Thank you so much." I tell her as she heads to the kitchen. I turn my attention back to Clay. "Yeah, I didn't even want to see dad last night. I'm sure he passed out in the recliner again."

"Well, you're always welcome here, sweetie. Opie used to come here when it got bad too." Gemma tells me as she sits back down with us at the table.

"Oh I know. Who do you think told me all about your amazing breakfasts?" I giggle through a mouthful of delicious eggs. Gemma shakes her head at me.

Jax makes an appearance from around a corner. I drop my eyes to my plate. I'm not sure I can lie to Jax. He can read me like a book. He pulls up a seat across from me and flops down.

"Hey, Piney just called. Opie's home!" he announces to the table.

"Yeah?" Clay says with a huge grin. Jax nods.

"I'm gonna head over. You comin'?" he asks us

"I actually have to work in about . . . 45 min. I better get home and change; wouldn't want to be late. My boss will use it as an excuse to grab my ass." Jax's eyes darken at that comment. He's had to put the fear of God in my boss too many times to count. The creep would back off for a week or two but then he'd forget the threat.

"Come on, we'll give you a ride home." Jax tells me

"Yeah? Ok. Thanks." I run in the room, grabbing my clothes from the night before. I throw a Teller-Morrow sweatshirt on over my tank top and slip my feet into my boots. I rush out the door, kissing my aunt on her cheek.

Chibs and Bobby are sitting on their bikes waiting for Jax. I greet both gentlemen easily and climb on the back of Jax's bike. We speed away, wind whipping around his body against my own. I love the rush. I've been on the back of a bike since grade school. They are my weakness. Jax pulls up sharply into my driveway.

"Thanks Jax!" I call out as I run in to get ready.

* * *

When my shift ends at the bar, I drive straight to TM. Chibs and Tig are casually working on Tig's bike in the garage. I make a bee-line for them.

"Sup boys?" I ask as I walk up. Tig gives me the pervy look I expect from him. He loves the tiny shorts and tank top I have to wear for work. Chibs looks at me over his sunglasses, a silly grin on his face.

"Not that Tig. Leave the poor gal alone. Yer gonna give her nightmares." Chibs slugs Tig's arm. Filip has always looked out for me. He helps with Piney when I can't talk the old man into coming home instead of ordering another round. "We're just workin on Tig's baby here. How bout you doll? Heard yer brother was home from Chino. Gemma's got a welcome home bash planned for tonight. You in?"

"Did you forget who you were talkin to? I'm always in for a party. And Big Tiggy, keep your pervy eyes on those dirty crow eaters and any other thing that creeps in here. I'm too clean for you." I smile sweetly as I give him a kiss on the cheek. He bites his knuckle and groans. I shake my head as I head to the office. Jax's ex Wendy breezes past me on the way to her car.

"What'd she want?" I ask as I flop on to the couch in Gemma's office.

"She dropped off some ultrasound pictures from the doctor. She follows up with me once in a while so I don't have to chase her down." Gemma hands me the pictures.

"Awww." I give her a sarcastic grin. "Guess we're gonna have to start calling you Grandma soon."

"Knock it off with that shit. Jaxson can't even get away with that yet. Not funny." I laugh.

"Gem, you don't by any chance need help around here, do you?" I ask

"What about your job?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. I had worked at the same bar for the last 3 years and I hated every minute of it. The skimpy outfits were for my manager's benefit more than the customers.

"Just not what I wanna do anymore. The old man is gross and I'm sick of watching Piney drink the night away there every night." I tell her.

"Yeah honey. You can help me out with inventory and stuff." She tells me. "Come on. Let's go see what we can have you do." She takes me out to the shop floor to show me around.

Chibs and Tig watch us as we're moving around the garage and I'm taking in all the info. I lean against the parts counter while Gemma shows me the computer system. I can feel Tig's creepy eyes on my ass.

"How's that oil change coming Tiggy?" I call out over my shoulder. Gemma turns her head and glares at the pig.

"Tig, sweetie. If you so much as touch my baby girl here, I'll break your dick. Understand me?" She asks. "And that will be nothing compared to the treatment Opie will give you."

"Yes ma'am." He gives her a mock salute and makes a crude gesture to me with his tongue. Chibs slaps him in the back of the head. I smile in appreciation. Chibs makes sure I'm safe. He is the only guy doesn't treat me like Opie's baby sister or one of the skanks that frequent the clubhouse.

After my tour, we head into the clubhouse to start getting stuff ready for the night. I can't wait to have my brother completely back home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Another re-written chapter. Hope you enjoy**

* * *

The party is already raging full force when I pull my old Monte Carlo back into the parking lot at TM. All the bikes are lined up and I recognize some of the other cars. My thigh-high boots echo across the pavement as I make my way toward the clubhouse. The warm air keeps a chill away from my exposed arms. Chibs and Jax are sitting on the picnic table when I walk up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, excuse me miss. You must be in the wrong place." Jax teases me. "We don't let pretty girls dressed like that mix with the degenerates in that place. You wouldn't want to get hurt, now would ya?" he laughs at his own joke.

"I dare one of those 'degenerates' to try something; see I have a long line of big brothers that would kick anyone's ass for even looking at me the wrong way. Besides, I'm just pouring drinks tonight boys. Leave the nasty thoughts to Tig. He's the sick and twisted one." I toss over my shoulder before making my way into the crowded clubhouse. My dad is sitting at the bar, obviously drunk already. I give him a quick kiss on the cheek as I head behind the bar.

* * *

**Jax's POV**

"Damn, there's trouble." I tell Chibs as I take a long drink of my beer. He follows my gaze across the lot, watching the angel walk toward us. Thankfully, Aubrey avoided growing up to look like either of her parents. Her long flame-red hair fell to her ass, smooth and soft and her emerald green eyes stood out even in the dark night. Her body had filled out into these amazing curves. Beautiful, feminine tattoos covered her arms and shoulders. She was dressed to kill tonight too. Her white halter top and tight jeans were innocent enough but the leather boots that went practically to heaven gave her the edge she needed to fit in here.

Filip stares, open-mouthed at Opie's sister as she walks confidently across the parking lot. He's mesmerized by her every step. I've never seen him look at anyone like that. She stops to say hi before heading in.

"You see that Chibs?" I ask him trying not to laugh at the expression on his face.

"Aye, think Op's gonna have somethin to say bout that?" Chibs asks, still staring at the doorway

"I'm sure he will but knowing Aubrey, she'll have somethin to say back. Let's head in and enjoy the party brother." I stand up and walk toward the door with Filip behind me.

Opie's sitting at the bar, talking to Bobby when I finally find him. A look of annoyance dances across his face. He's peeling the label from his beer as he watches Tig shamelessly hit on Aubrey. Piney's too wasted to care that his daughter is being man-handled right in front of him; although Aubrey's never had an issue handling Tig. He's been hitting on her since she reached puberty. She presented some kind of challenge to him; a taste of the forbidden fruit.

She's finally able to shake him off and she moves with grace behind the bar; laughing at the perverted old men she's known since birth. Her smile never leaves her face and she's obviously at ease in an environment that would make a weaker woman nauseous.

"Hey brother! Welcome home." I greet my best friend with a hug. He's still nervously watching his sister.

"Thanks man. It feels good to be back." He says without conviction.

"You need another drink?" he nods and I head to the end of the bar, where Aubrey is again trying to get rid of Tig.

". . . come on Baby Bree, let me take you for a ride." Tig's almost pleading with the girl.

"No way Tig. Who knows what I'll catch straddling your bike. No thank you. Those two girls over there look like they need a dirty old man to chase away their daddy issues. Isn't that your specialty?" She winks at him and he turns toward the two skanks smiling at him. I shake my head.

"Whatcha need Jaxson?" She asks, casually leaning on the bar. I shake my head at her and head to the cooler myself.

"I got this, you can finish getting those shots lined up for Chibs and your brother." she gives me a thankful smile and heads over to her brother. He leans over the bar to whisper something in her ear. She rolls her eyes as she pours him a shot. Opie forgets that his sister is an adult. They are only a year apart but in his mind, she's still the 10 year old tomboy with the skinned knees. I watch as she takes a shot with the men, tilting her head back and pouring the whiskey down her throat. I'm not the only one watching; Chibs can't take his eyes off of the girl. I open the two bottles of beer and head back over to them.

"There's a shot for you too Jax." She calls to me before turning to grab a couple of beers for the prospects that sit down next to Piney's slumped body. Chibs is hypnotized by her fluid movements behind the bar.

* * *

**Filip's POV**

I watch Aubrey finish cleaning up behind the bar. Her angelic, raspy voice carries across the bar as she works; the words are haunting and familiar. I make my way to the cherry bar top, leaning over it as I watch her work.

"That's beautiful sweetheart." I tell her, making her jump. "One of my favorites"

"I thought you left Filip." She gives me a soft smile.

"Nah, I thought you could use an escort to your car." My words slur slightly.

"_Or_, you're too drunk to drive so you came up with that lame excuse so I would drive your ass home safe and sound." She has no problem calling me on my bullshit.

"Aye, you caught me." I say throwing my hands up in defeat

"All you have to do is ask. Let me just tell Jax I'm leaving." She says brightly. She crosses over to the young man who is just about passed out on the couch.

"Have a good night Jaxson. You should go pass out in the apartment. You wouldn't wanna wake up with one of Tig's nasties all over you." She points to the man passed out on the floor covered by two crow-eaters. She has a valid point. He gives her a kiss on the cheek and we head to her car where Piney is already passed out in the back seat.

"Let's get him home first and then I can take you home. I'll probably go crash at Clay and Gemma's." she tells me before I slide in beside her. I drown in her scent that fills the car; a gentle mix of weed and her perfume.

"Or you can use my couch." He tells her.

"Yeah? That would be great. I don't want to clean up after him tonight." Her smile melts me in the seat. My sweet Aubrey had me wrapped around her finger from the first day I rescued her Black Beauty from hitting the junkyard. She loved this car and almost cried when she thought of it being done. It was a quick fix and when I told her, she kissed me. The kiss stirred a feeling deep inside, something I hadn't felt since I was a younger man. I hadn't stopped thinking about those lips since that day.

By the time we pull into her driveway to unload her drunken father, my imagination has lead to a raging hard on. As I stand up out of the car, I have to re-adjust so she doesn't notice. Getting the old man out of the backseat and into the house is no easy task. As she goes through the routine of taking of his boots and kutte, her eyes are hard and sad. She deserves better than all of this. I wait for her in the narrow hallway. As she walks out of his room, we stand facing each other. My hand twitches, wanting to reach out and touch her, kiss her. She looks up at me from her heavy lids with those stunning green eyes and searches my face for something. She leans forward slightly and I slide my hands in my pockets. It takes every ounce of my willpower not to slam her against the wall and fuck her right there.

"I just have to grab a bag real quick." She whispers. "I start at TM tomorrow and I can't be doing the walk of shame on my first day." Her laugh is low and sexy. She lingers a moment longer in the hallway before slipping into her tiny bedroom. I head outside and allow the cool night air to clear my head. A few deep breaths later, my self-control is steadily returning. I lean against her car and light a cigarette, the rush of intake doing wonders to keep my desire at bay. By the time she bounces out of the house, bag slung across her back, I've tucked my craving for her away.

* * *

**Aubrey's POV**

It takes me a moment to realize where I am the next morning. Filip's old couch is comfortable and warm. The apartment is fairly clean for a bachelor pad. Filip's kutte hangs loose on the back of the chair at the small wooden table and his boots are casually strewn down the hall way leading to his room. I push myself to sit-up, blinking as my eyes adjust to the light. The apartment always smells like a combination of leather, tobacco and his cologne. It's a safe smell. Something I've known all my life. It's oddly comforting. Something stirs inside me, something unrecognizable and new. I shake it off, dismissing it as a side-effect of my slight hang-over.

I jump up off the couch, on a caffeine mission. After straightening my tank top, I pull my hair into a messy bun before heading into the kitchen in search of coffee. Trying to be quiet, I manage to find the coffee and filters quickly. I tap my fingers against the counter in anticipation. Filip rounds the corner and heads down the hallway.

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to wake you. I just needed some caffeine." I smile weakly at him.

"Nah, I had to get up anyway." He dismisses my apology and grabs two mugs out of the cabinet. We take our coffee to the small table and sit down. I groan as my tell-tale hangover headache hits me.

"No more shots." I tell him seriously, he laughs at me and shakes his head.

"You sure yer a Winston there girlie?" he jokes. I laugh quietly. He makes a point.

"Ok, no more shots today. We'll talk about tomorrow later. Mind if I take a quick shower?" I ask and he nods as he sips the rest of his coffee. I push myself away from the table, grab my bag and stroll down the hallway to the small bathroom. The door to Filip's bedroom is open slightly; his giant bed is unkempt and somewhat inviting. The odd feeling from earlier returns. I push through the door to the bathroom, desperate for a hot shower.

The steaming water does wonders for my morning hangover. I let the water wash over me, the heat working into my muscles, relaxing and releasing the tension. A heavy fog fills the room, swallowing me up. By the time I turn the water off and wrap the soft towel around me, I feel a hundred times better, almost human even. I throw my TM shirt on with a pair of comfortable jeans and pull my hair into a tight pony tail. It's nice to be able to wear this instead of feeling half-naked. By the time I emerge from the bathroom, Filip is ready.

We pull into the garage before almost everyone else. Gemma is coming out of the clubhouse, two full garbage bags in her hands. Filip jogs over to help her while I get out of the car.

"Hey there baby. How are you this morning?" she asks, joining me at the back of my car.

"Better than when I woke up." I tell her with a half-smile. She pulls me to the garage and gets me started on inventory. I concentrate on my work for a few hours and when I look up from the computer, I notice most of the guys have arrived. Jax saunters over to the counter and leans over. The new prospect, Kip, the one they call Half-Sack stands next to him, arms crossed over his chest and a childish grin across his face.

"Hey baby Bree." Jax teases me. He knows I hate the nickname. I stick my tongue out at him. "Whatcha doin?"

"Working, Jaxson. Something you may wanna consider once in a while." I love our playful banter

"Oh, working with my mom for less than a day and you already sound like her." He laughs at me before turning on the charm. "Can I ask you a huge favor?"

"Oh, God. Now what?" I ask.

"I need you to pull the jealous girlfriend act for me." He blinks his amazing eyes at me and his best award-winning smile.

"AGAIN? Do you have a magic dick? You always end up with these clingy skanks? Which one this time?" I shake my head at him. We've had to pull this routine several times in the past year alone. He always ended up finding the one girl who thought she could change him.

"One of the Cara Cara girls I ended up with the other night at the bar. She just pulled in and is waiting for me by her car. Please, I'll make it up to you." He is practically begging. She must be really bad. I roll my eyes as I stand up and head for the clubhouse with him. As we pass the bimbo leaning against her little red convertible, she smiles and saunters over to Jax. Where does Luanne find these girls?

"Hey there sweetie, you've been MIA the last few days." She purrs as she kisses his cheek. He looks down at his feet, trying to look guilty but I know he's fighting a laugh. He's seen me in action.

"Who's this?" I ask, trying to pour anger into my voice as I cross my arms.

"Uh. . . "he runs his hand through his hair, playing along. "Babe, I can explain."

"Sure, explain. Right. I'm getting really sick of this Jaxson. You bring home these whores and then I gotta deal with it later. Do you really believe I'm not gonna find out?" my voice is rising, some of the guys turn to watch our little game. They usually enjoy our routine. I figure I might as well give them a good show.

"Uh, excuse me, whore?" the blond asks. Apparently she can't take a hint.

"Yeah, sweetie. The skanky barflies that follow my fiancé home whenever we have a fight. None of you ever get him off, so the next day he brings his ass home and begs a real woman to take him back." I inch closer to her. She's too dumb to be insulted.

"Jax, maybe we should talk in private." She grabs his arm and pulls him toward her car. I step in, put my arm around her and walk with her to her car. I pull some money out of my back pocket.

"That won't be necessary, here's $100 and I'm sure you think you were worth more but this is generous hunny." I tell her as I turn to walk back toward a laughing Jax who has now been joined by Tig and Chibs. All of sudden, the skank grabs a handful of my hair and pulls. As I turn to face her, she slaps me hard. She really should have just gotten in her car and left.

I grab her wrist, and twist her arm behind her back, using a move usually reserved for the drunk assholes that get too hands on. I push her toward her car and she kicks me. Apparently she doesn't learn. I tangle my hand into some of her hair and slam her heavily made up face into the trunk of her car. Blood erupts from her nose and mouth. She screams as I release her arm and start throwing punches; each one connecting with a satisfying thud. The guys don't let it go too far. Jax lifts me over his shoulder and walks back to the garage, laughing the entire way. They know what I'm capable of.

Kip ushers the sobbing girl to her car and she speeds away. The group that had gathered to watch breaks into hysterical laughter as Jax finally sets me back down and releases me. My hand is throbbing slightly and my face stings slightly from the one hit she was able to get in. Jax hands me the money I tried to offer her. I straighten my clothes out and turn on Jax and the guys, who are struggling to control themselves.

"Damnit Jaxson, you could at least try to find one with some kind of intelligence." I tell him as he hands me a bottle of cold water.

"The ones with brains don't suck dick." He jokes

"Or maybe they're just too smart to suck your dick." I wink at him as I head back to the garage. The boys all hoot and holler. Gemma meets me before I reach the counter.

"What'd I miss?" she asks when she sees that both my cheek and my hand are already turning a violent shade of red.

"I was just explaining to one of Jax's many admirers why there won't be a round two in her future." I shrug. "This one was stupid enough to fight for him. Don't worry; she won't make that mistake again."

A wicked smile spreads over her face. "I've taught you well sweetheart. Let's go take care of those." She points to my hand and face. We walk together toward the clubhouse. The guys trickle back to work. We're followed by fast approaching footsteps as we reach the door. Jax and Filip follow us inside.

"That was insane!" Jax tells me as he grabs a beer from the cooler. "I owe you."

"I'll remember that." I tell him, grabbing it from him and taking a long sip before handing it back.

"How's the hand slugger?" Filip chuckles as he sits down next to me at the bar. Gemma hands me an ice pack.

"Better than her face." I smile at him.

"That's my girl." He places a quick kiss on my cheek before Gemma shoos them both back to work.


	3. Chapter 3

Two days after the incident at TM, Unser stops by the garage to talk to me. Apparently the stupid whore ran off to Deputy Hale with a complaint about my customer service skills. The older man finishes talking to Tig and heads in my direction. I've known Unser since I was born. He's been the one to bring me home on several occasions after a bar fight with some bitch or when I was busted the few times for underage drinking. I flash him a smile as he stops in front of me.

"Hey hun. How have you been?" He asks

"Eh, you know. I know why you're here Unser and she took the first swing. I have about 20 witnesses, including customers that saw it." I tell him, barely looking up from my work.

"What happened?" he asks. I sigh, setting the paperwork aside and looking up at him.

"I tried explaining to her that Jax wasn't interested in her. She didn't like that so she slapped me after she tried to rip my hair out. I just defended myself." I explain nonchalantly. "Are you here to arrest me?"

Jax overhears my question and heads over to us. "There a problem here?" he asks

"Yeah, the lovely girl you 'cheated' on me with, she went running to Hale." I tell him with a sarcastic grin

"What?" he asks "You here to arrest her Chief?" he crosses his arms in front of him.

"No, no, nothing like that. The girl wants a restraining order is all. I'm here to serve you the papers." He says. I burst out laughing.

"Jaxson, next time maybe you should consider one of those instead of asking me to take out the trash." He smiles. Unser shakes his head at us.

"Actually Jax, I need to talk to Clay. He around?" the older man asks. Jax walks with him back to the clubhouse.

Filip saunters to the counter and leans down as I type. "Everythin all right sweetheart?" he asks. Concern is etched on his face.

"I'm good, just that whore drama Jax pulled me into." I shrug. "Unser will take care of it for me."

"Aye, he's a good one. What are you up to tonight?"

"Louise and I are going out to the bar. Why? You got a better idea?" I wink at him as I move from behind the counter and head toward Gemma's office.

"Be careful, you don't need to be gettin in trouble." He slowly catches up to me. "Call me if you need to."

"I will Chibs. It's sweet you care but you know that no one will even think about it. They're too afraid of Jax and Op." I reassure him as I go in to give Gemma my paperwork.

* * *

Blaring music fills the air as we pull into the parking lot. We lock the car and head inside. I'm already more than a little buzzed. The place is packed with the regulars that frequent. We squeeze through the crowd and hit the bar giggling. Kip is a few seats away and nods my way.

"Who's that?" Louise asks, she's a sucker for any relatively cute guy. Actually, she's a sucker for any guy.

"Half-sack? He's friends with Jax and Opie. You know?" Louise isn't even paying attention. She's making eyes at the prospect who is lapping it up from his seat. I roll my eyes.

"What you want?" the bartender leans close to hear my order in the noise.

"Jameson and Coke and she wants some kind of fruity chick drink. Plus can I get three shots of Tequila; give one to that sad looking little boy at the end of the bar." I pour on the flirt, making sure I show plenty of cleavage.

"Of course sweetie." The bartender sets glasses down in front of us and Kip. After pouring the drinks, he shakes his head when I try to give him the money; works every time. Half-sack tips his glass my way and takes his shot quick. I let the warm liquid slide smoothly down my throat. I'm half way to my mission for the night. Drunk and numb are on the agenda. Louise taps my shoulder and points to the pool table that just opened up. I nod my head and follow her.

* * *

Three games later, I'm up $750 from some idiot who tried to bet against me. He's a shot short of breaking his pool stick over the table. His buddy's not much better. I lean over smoothly and set up my final shot and sink it flawlessly. The guy is pissed. I smile sweetly at him. He moves to walk away without paying.

"Hey, I think you forgot something." I call out.

"Bitch, I didn't forget shit. You fucking hustled me." He spat, reeking of alcohol.

"Now that's not very nice." I tell him. "In fact, it's downright insane." A few people close by overhear and turn their attention our way. The locals know this guy was on the losing end of this fight. They watched me kick out too many drunk assholes to even bother arguing with me; especially over money.

He turns to walk away again and Opie steps in front of him; his face full of rage after hearing the conversation.

"I'm pretty sure that my sister said you owe her something? Why don't we just be smart about this hu?" Opie asks him through gritted teeth, his eyes blazing.

"Aye, lad. It's impolite to take somethin that don't belong to ya." Chibs appears at my side. The guy reaches into his pocket and pulls out the $250 he owes me and throws it on the table before walking away.

"You shouldn't be hustling people Bree, it's fucking stupid and dangerous." Opie tells me, his anger not completely calm. We walk back to the bar.

"Opie, I just needed the extra money." I whine a little in my drunken state.

"For what?" he asks

"I gotta find my own place Op. I'm fighting with dad all the time." I tell him.

Opie sighs, he's feeling guilty. That wasn't my intention. I throw an arm over his shoulders and lean into his ear.

"Op, I don't blame you. You didn't leave me with him, she did. It wasn't your fault and you came back as soon as you could. Dad's never hit me and he never did anything creepy. He just sucks at being sober. I just need my own space is all." I whisper before placing a kiss on his temple.

"Come on. I need shots." I tell him as I kneel on the bar stool in front of me. I reach casually over the bar and grab the bottle of tequila. After I pour several shots, I throw my money on the bar and put the bottle back. The bartender winks at me as he pulls a beer. As the shot glass hits my lips, I feel the full effect of the alcohol. I grab the edge of the bar to brace myself. Filip is at my side in a heartbeat.

"Whoa Bree." My brother says as he grabs my other arm.

"Maybe it's time we take ya home Aubrey." Filip tells me.

"Awwww, I don't wanna go home." I whine again, this time adding a pout.

"I can't have you at the house all drunk. Donna is already freakin out. We're kinda havin a rough time." Opie whispers to me, before turning attention to the beer glass in front of him.

"All right, I'll go home. You take care of my baby?" I ask. I don't wait for answer before dropping my keys into his hand.

"I'll take her Opie; you make sure that Half-Sack gets that tart home, aye?" I follow his gaze and shake my head as Louise is all but straddling the kid at the end of the bar.

"Take me home Filip." I laugh as we head out into the crisp night air. He pulls me on to the back of his bike. Wrapping my arms around him and gripping his chest, I squeeze my thighs around his hips. I take a deep breath, letting his scent cover me. It only adds to my intoxication. As the bike roars to life under me, I pull myself into him a little further, sighing in contentment.

Filip pulls easily into the parking lot of his apartment building and turns off the bike. I give him a confused look as I jump off the back of his bike clumsily. He reaches out to steady me as I stumble. His mouth turns up in a sexy grin. The impulse to kiss him surprises me. I shake my head trying to rid myself of the thought but heat rushes through my body anyway.

"I figured ya could just spend the night on my couch instead of having to deal with Piney. I know you guys got into it today. He told me about it when I stopped by earlier." He said.

"You're the best Filip. I don't deserve it." I slurred as we walk through the front door. Filip helps me to the couch and gently sets me down before bending over to take my boots off. He looks up at me with his dark eyes and the urge I fought outside returns. I place my palm on his cheek, running my thumb across one of his scars.

"Aubrey, yer drunk sweetie." His rough hand wraps around my own and kisses the palm sending bolts of electricity through me. What the hell is wrong with me? This is Filip. He sits down next to me on the couch and pulls my legs across his own. I lay my head back and sigh, lost in thought.

"That I am." I tell him. The feel of his rough hand rubbing the inner part of my calf distracts me. Abandoning any attempt at rational thought, I adjust my leg allowing him access to my thigh with no resistance. His fingertips graze a sensitive spot and I shiver. I raise my head and stare at him through my eyelashes. I don't think I've ever looked at him this way before. Filip is about 10 years older than me but he carries it well. His shaggy reddish brown hair is peppered with gray making him look even sexier. The scars on his face only make him look tough and beautiful

"Don't look at me like that baby." He groans. His raspy voice calling me baby causes a stir deep inside me. I sit up, making sure to rub my calf against him in all the right places. My body tingles. I lightly reach out for his shoulder, the muscles firm and defined. Imagining his strong arms wrapped around my body is enough to push me forward.

"Say that again, Filip." I beg him in the quietness of the apartment.

"What do you want me to say?" he sighs.

I pull my knees underneath me and sit up, sliding closer to him. Leaning over close to his ear; I let out a soft breath.

"Call me baby again." I murmur; allowing my tongue to brush against his ear as I plead with him. He groans low and guttural.

"Baby." I swing my leg across his lap and sit up, hovering over his lap. He leans his head back as he looks up at me. "Baby, baby" he whispers again as I pull his mouth to mine. The feeling is intense and I'm suddenly craving more of him. The effects of the alcohol are pushed away by a new intoxication. His lips trace a rough, hungry path from my mouth to my collar bone and I bury my hands in his hair.

I whisper his name over and over again as he peels my shirt up over my head and kisses my stomach, lightly. I giggle and curl up against his chest, burying my face in his neck. His hands methodically massage my back as I use my teeth against his skin, biting and kissing. His calloused hands make their way to my hips, gripping them and pulling me into him. My hips grind into his lap, feeling him through his pants. He wants this as much as I do. An eager moan escapes my lips.

He pushes me roughly against the couch before tugging on the button to my jeans. I raise my hips as he eagerly pulls my pants off leaving me in my white lace bra and panties.

"Christ, Aubrey." He moans as he grips the fabric between my legs, ripping it from my body, letting the shredded fabric slip to the floor.

I'm dizzy with anticipation. He moves my leg, allowing him to crawl between my legs and lean over me. I reach up, expertly undoing the buttons on his shirt. He alternates between running his hand over the fabric of my bra and watching my hands work. When I get the last button undone, I drag my nails up his chest to his shoulders and slowly push the shirt back. He sits back on his knees staring at me. I can't believe I've never looked at this man before.

"What are ya doing girl?" he says, running his hands up and down my thighs, adding to the sensations already coursing through my body. I lay there more than half-naked, not able to speak, not sure of what I wanted from him other than to feel him against me, inside me. He leans over me, hands gripping the arm of the couch above my head, his eyes searching my own.

"Filip, I want you." I whisper

"That's the tequila talking." He says; disappointment written across his face. I shake my head, eager to reassure him. He pulls back again, sighing heavily as buries his face in his hand. I pull myself back up, curling up under his arm and leaning on his chest.

"It's not the tequila. I sobered up the moment I tasted your lips." I place a tender kiss against his chest. He pulls me away from him again.

"We can't Aubrey. You know that. God knows I want to but we just can't." He pushes himself off the couch and heads to his room, closing the door behind him. With tears in my eyes, I pull my clothes back on and curl up on the couch. The memory of his rough kisses and the feel of his hands on my body refuse to fade. Eventually I fall asleep. My dreams are laced with fantasies, too detailed to ignore.

I open one eye the next morning, aware of someone watching me. The memories from the night before and my ensuing dreams flood over me as I slowly raise my head. Filip is standing in the kitchen, watching me. An unreadable expression cast across his fast.

"Morning." His accent makes me melt.

"Morning Filip." I pull myself up to a sitting position, my head throbs immediately. He hands me a cup of coffee.

"Ya should get ready. Yer brother's gonna be here any minute with yer car" Pushing myself off of the couch, I head toward the bathroom. I leave my discarded panties on the floor. Let him clean up. Frustration runs through me. I hope the hot water will wash away any disappointment and lingering memories. It doesn't have the desired effect but it will have to do. When I'm done, I plaster a fake smile on my face as I leave the bathroom. The apartment is empty. He already left. I lock the door behind me as Opie pulls up with my car.

"You'll have to drop me off at work before you head to TM, but this way you don't have to get your car later." He says as I drop myself into the front seat. "How you feeling this morning?" he hands me a coffee he grabbed at the gas station.

"Like I was hit by a bus." My hangover excuse allows me to ride to work in silence without his curious stare. I spend the entire time thinking about what I did. I didn't even realize I looked at Filip that way. Every touch of his skin and lips last night, burned a memory into my flesh. Just the thought sent pure electricity through my thighs. By the time I pull into the parking lot, my thoughts turned to hurt and anger. I pull a hooded sweatshirt from my back seat on. Keeping my head down; I head to the office. Gemma is out today. She asked me to file some paperwork. I close the door and turn up the radio.

When I emerge from the office a couple of hours later for a break, the tow truck is dropping a silver Beamer with the ass end of a deer sticking out of the windshield. Filip jumps out of the driver side of the truck and makes eye contact with me. He quickly turns away. Poor Kip is stuck with deer removal duty. I almost burst out laughing when I hear him tell Jax that he doesn't eat meat.

I walk to the clubhouse to grab some coffee. Footsteps follow me but I refuse to turn around. Heading into the bar, I peek over my shoulder and watch as Jax answers his phone. Filip starts to pace, irritated. Juice is working behind the bar. I stomp past him, my anger growing.

"Hey Aubrey, I didn't know you were here." He said as he takes stock of the bar inventory.

"Yeah, workin in the office today." I take a long sip of coffee as Filip and Jax walk in. Filip walks over, paperwork in hand and gives it to me. I avoid eye contact and walk past him without a word. Jax throws a smart ass comment my way and I smile slightly as I head back to the office. I hear Filip mutter something like hangover as an excuse toward my behavior as I pick up my pace. Lowell watches me cautiously as I stomp back to the office and slam the door.

I hated that this was affecting me so much. I don't know what I was thinking throwing myself at him while I was drunk. I'm not any better than the crow eaters I bashed with Gemma on a Friday night. When I watch Filip leave with Tig and Clay for a bit, I sneak back out of the office and into the clubhouse. Jax leans against the bar, a tense look on his face.

"What up big brother?" I ask him

"I should ask you the same thing there little girl. What's goin on with you today?" he asks

"Rough night." It's not a lie. I give him a half-hearted grin. "Where you headed?"

"I gotta hit up the storage unit today, check out what's in there for the baby."

"Yeah? Why don't you pile up the stuff you want and I'll run it over to Wendy's later." I know he hates going over there.

"You gonna be nice?" he cocks his eyebrow

"Sure." I shrug my shoulders. Wendy and I have gotten into more than one fight but as long as she's pregnant, I back off.

"Ok. I'd appreciate that. You're amazing Bree." He gives me a hug before heading out the door.

For the rest of the afternoon, I sit in the office and work. I turn up the volume on my stereo and concentrate on the paperwork from the Beamer this morning. The sound of a horn catches my attention. Gemma's flying into the parking lot. I race out to find out what is going on.


	4. Chapter 4

The ride to the hospital is somber. A million thoughts are running through my head; thoughts of Abel, Wendy and Filip intertwine into a mess of confusion, sadness and anger. I could kill Wendy; can't even leave the fucking junk alone for nine months, not even for the sake of her son. We pull into the hospital parking lot and rush inside.

Jax is through the door and heading to NICU before I even make it out of Gemma's SUV. We rush to follow him. I keep my distance as he and Gemma talk with Tara about Abel's condition. Watching Jax's face fall and contort in such pain sends a shock through my system. Every worst possible situation runs through my mind watching his heart break with every word. It doesn't help to hear the terrifying words from the one woman who shattered him.

When Tara ran away to Chicago, it was a very dark time in Jaxson's life and he's never fully recovered. I didn't know she was back in Charming. Crossing my arms over my chest and chewing on my nail, I wait for news. Jax turns away from Tara, fire in his eyes and hatred obvious in his face. He stomps back down the hall and out the doors. Clay tells Bobby and Chibs to back him. I meet Filip's gaze for a moment but Gemma's voice pulls me out of my stare.

"He's got a hole in his heart and his stomach is ripped." she's kneading her hands, terrified and anxious. I pull her into a chair behind me and hold her hand without a word. Clay sits in the chair across from us. When he's reassured that I won't leave Gemma alone here, he heads out to rally the guys. Gemma and I wait for news.

* * *

**Filip's POV**

My blood is boiling as we race along to the Hairy Dog; fucking Darby's guys. We pull into the lot and Jax barely parks his bike before he's through the front doors. He bursts in and heads right for the assholes. He grabs a pool cue and swings hard at the dealer's head. The rage causes every swing to connect, harder and harder. As the guy lies on the floor, choking and sputtering, Jaxson breaks the stick and with a swift motion, stabbing the man in his nut sack before continuing to kick the living shit outta him. I rush to Jax's side, pushing him away from the guy. No need to get arrested.

"It's ok, brother. I think you've made yer point." I tell him.

Jax marches back out of the bar and takes off on his bike; heading off to Opie's house. Tig and I head back to the clubhouse. Anger runs through me as we fly through the roads. Not just over this Wendy shit. What the hell was I thinking? I almost fucked Aubrey seven ways from Sunday; she's gonna hate me. She was drunk and I shoulda stopped it sooner; but damned if that woman didn't drive me insane. I couldn't help myself. Thoughts of her grounding that sweet pussy into my cock have been haunting me all day. I couldn't think straight. None of these thoughts could stop my cock from growing tight against my jeans whenever I think of her laying there naked and begging for me; her tongue against my skin and her thighs inviting me in. She was gonna be the death of me.

"What's up there Chibs?" Tig breaks my thoughts as we wait for a stoplight.

"Nuthin brother, just pissed at Darby. Fucking cocksucker." I yell over the roar of our bikes.

"That's all?" Tig's never been smart, he shouldn't try now.

"Yeah Tiggy. Just thinkin bout that kid man." It's halfway true.

When we pull back into the lot, everyone's there. Clay steps up.

"Where's Jaxson?" he asks

"Went to talk to Op." I tell him "How's the kid?"

"No updates yet. Holding steady for now." Clay says, looking at his feet. "Poor kid, both of them."

I nod as we head inside. I push thoughts of Aubrey away.

* * *

**Aubrey's POV**

Sometime around 7, Gemma can't stand sitting at the hospital any longer. She drops me off at TM and I head inside the office, not wanting to go home yet. Inside the clubhouse there are voices and music, growing louder. I sit down at the desk and watch as the crowd moves outside. Gradually the fights start. Some of the crow eaters have staggered in and are squealing Tig and Happy's names while the two land blow after blow in the makeshift ring. A soft knock at the door, brings me back to Earth.

Filip stands in the door way, head hung low, plate of food in one hand and two beers in the other. He sits down on the couch handing me the plate and one of the bottles. I pick up the bottle and concentrate on peeling the label.

"Yer mad?" he asks.

"Nah, I'm good Chibs." My voice dismissive and indifferent. He leans forward resting his arms on his knees.

"Why don't you try that again?" He says not taking his eyes off the floor. I keep silent.

Everything in my body is pushing me to run out the door. It's never been uncomfortable between the two of us. I grew up around him, everything feeling like I'm at home when he was in the room. Now, the memory of his lips on mine was the only thing I could think about. Everything has changed.

"Baby girl, it's not like that." His voice like rough velvet.

I stand up and come around the front of the desk. Standing right in front of him, I lean against the edge of the desk. "What's it like then Filip?" he raises his eyes to meet mine.

"Yer brother and yer da will kill me if something were to happen here." He whispers.

"Please don't do that." My voice barely carries over the sound outside. I lower my eyes to the floor. I hear him stand and step toward me. Placing his hand under my chin, he raises my face so I can see him.

"What?" he asks.

"Don't use the club to tell me you aren't interested. Don't fuck with me like that. I'm not one of those stupid bitches Jaxson drags back to the apartment for a night." My anger bubbling to the surface a bit. He drops his hand to his side and sighs loudly.

"I wouldn't fuck with you. It's not like that Aubrey. I. . . just can't" he said.

"Look, I'm pretty sure I just let you off the hook, you don't have to worry. I'm all good Filip." I told him, growing steadily impatient with him. Turning to leave, I fight the tears in my eyes again. This is ridiculous. I haven't shed a single tear in years, now twice in one day and over a guy.

Before I make it to the door, he stands in my way and closed the door with a soft click. I refuse to look at him. The inches between us seem like miles. He steps into the gap in front of us.

"Bree, I want you more than you'll ever realize. Do you realize how much trouble I could get into?" his eyes plead with me to understand. Frustration crosses his face and he steps away from me again, leaning on the desk that I just vacated.

I reach down and grab his hands, pulling him to stand in front of me. Resting my forehead against his chest. "So we don't tell anyone else. We just spend time together and keep it away from the gossip."

"In Charming? That's askin for a miracle baby." He says as he strokes my hair down my back.

I reach my hands up the bottom of his shirt and across his tight abdomen. He tenses at my touch. I stand up quickly afraid he'll leave. I reach over and lock the door and he is behind me in a heartbeat. He spins me to face him and slams me against the door, his body pressed firmly against mine. I easily strip him of his shirt and he pulls off my hooded sweatshirt and bra in one quick hand motion. He tucks his hand into my jeans pulling them down as I step out of them. I'm fumbling with his belt as he's pressing his teeth against my skin, I can tell he's holding back slightly.

"I'm not gonna break, Filip. Fuck me." I whisper in a low voice. That's all he needs to press forward. He lifts my legs up to wrap around his waist and drives himself deep inside of me. I've only been with one other guy and it sure as hell wasn't like this. My thighs shake as he slams me over and over again before collapsing against me still holding on to my legs.

"Those filthy words coming outta that beautiful mouth almost killed me woman. I ain't givin this up. We can't be telling anyone." I nod my head, unable to speak through my ragged breathing.

He slowly lowers me to the ground pulling away from me as he goes. My knees are shaking and I'm lightheaded. We dress quickly before we leave the office to join the crowd. The rest of the night while I make the rounds, I feel Filip's eyes on me. I smile and talk lightly with my brother, struggling to ignore the hungry look on Filip's face.

During a particularly nasty conversation with Tig on the proper way to eat a pussy, Chibs appears out of nowhere at my side.

"Ugh Tig, you kiss . . . anyone with that mouth?" I ask, a giggle escapes my lips. The buzz I'm feeling has nothing to do with the one beer I've had tonight. When Filip puts his hand on the small of my back, I fight the urge to kiss him.

"Tiggy, why you harassing this poor girl. Yer making her blush." His teasing told me he knew exactly where my blush was coming from. When Tig turned his attention to the tan brunette who didn't own a bra, Filip leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"I wanna take you for a ride. Interested?" the feel of his breath near my necks sends an obvious shiver down my spine. I nod carefully. "Follow me." He takes my hand and we head over to Jax and Clay. Clay slides his arm around me as I walk up, placing a kiss on my cheek.

"How's Abel?" I ask.

"Stable for now. I think I'm gonna head over there for a bit." He says, not taking his eyes off of Clay. We obviously interrupted something. I give Jax a hug before he turns back toward his bike.

"Clay, I'm gonna give Bree a ride home. She says she's got a migraine but I think it's cuz she don't wanna deal with Piney tonight." Chibs speaks close to Clay's ear. I pretend I don't hear. Clay pulls me in for a hug and kisses my cheek.

"Feel better baby girl." Filip grabs my hand and leads me to his bike. I throw my helmet on as we speed back to his apartment. The anticipation almost too much for me.


	5. Chapter 5

An incessant knock at the door brings me out of my thoughts the next morning as I wait for the coffee to finish. I scramble down the hall and burst into the bedroom. Rushing around I pull on my cut-off shorts. Filip laughs at me as I fight to pull his TM shirt over my head unsuccessfully. I shoot a scathing look his way as I fumble with the buttons, finally able to get it off and throw on a sweatshirt.

"Someone's at the door." I explain my hurry as I throw my hair into a messy bun. Jaxson's voice carries down the hall. I cross the hall to the bathroom before he turns the corner.

"Chibs, where you at man?" he calls. He pauses by the bathroom door when he sees me brushing my teeth. "Morning Bree. Sleep well?" he leans in the door way, an evil grin creeps across his face.

"The couch is ok. My own bed would be better." I tell him, trying to play it off.

"Yeah? I bet." He laughs as he pushes open the door to the bedroom. Filip's sitting on the edge of his bed, pulling his boots on.

"Morning brother." He greets Jax. "What's goin on?"

"Clay's calling everyone to the table. We gotta roll." He says.

I catch a ride on the back of Jax's bike trying to throw off his suspicions. I watch Filip as he maneuvers his bike in unison with Jax. A couple of times he glances my way, an odd expression on his face.

The rest of the guys are parking as we arrive. I climb off the bike and head to talk to my brother. He's standing near his bike, smoking a cigarette.

"Hey Op. How is work?" apparently a sore subject, his face darkens and he looks away.

"It's work." He says. I know he's having a rough time right now.

"Hey, Gemma is having a family dinner tomorrow. You should bring Donna and the kids. Maybe she'll warm up when she sees how much we all miss you guys." I try to cheer him up.

"I don't know, I think that's kinda the last thing she wants right now. We got into another fight last night. The bills are piling up and we're so far behind but she is so damned stubborn about me earning legit." This life is all he's ever known, walking away is killing him. He needs the club as much as they need him. I understand Donna's fears but she's blaming the club when they supported her for the last five years.

"You want me to talk to her?" I ask. Donna and I were still pretty close. I introduced her to my brother in high school and he fell in love overnight. She was his whole world.

"Nah, I think she just needs to cool down a little. Maybe she'll come around." He slumps his shoulders in defeat.

"She has to Opie. We were born in this club. This is our life, our family. It's in our blood and even trying to fight against it, we can't." I wrap my arm around his and put my head on his shoulder. "I love you and I miss you." I tell him.

He gives me a quick hug before he walks into the clubhouse. I stand there, watching him go. I wish there was something I could do for him.

"Bree, you seein anyone?" Jaxson's voice scares me. I didn't realize he was that close.

"Why? You offering Jaxson? I'm pretty sure you couldn't handle me." I smirk at him, keeping my face even and relaxed. He leans close and whispers in my ear.

"You be careful, I don't want you to get hurt." He says.

"I'll keep that in mind if I meet someone worth seeing. Get going before Clay has a fit." I reassure him.

He nods as he walks away, taking my words as some kind of confirmation. I carefully pull my phone out of my back pocket and scroll to Filip's name. I type out a quick text to give him a heads up.

_Jaxson suspects something. He just cornered me. _

A few hours into my day, Gemma pulls into the parking lot. I put aside the paperwork I'm working with and rush over to find out about Abel. She's tired, it was a long night. She fills me in on his condition as we walk to the office together. I stand in the doorway as she collapses in her chair, exhausted and scared. Nothing I can say will ease her worry right now. I just listen as she vents, her anger at Wendy builds as she talks.

"That stupid junkie whore. She should be under arrest and rotting in a jail cell but instead they're offering her a comfy room at rehab hotel." She's furious.

"What did Tara say about Abel?" I ask.

"They want to do surgery on him right away. It's his best chance." She tells me.

"What does Jaxson say?" I press her

"Jaxson's mind isn't straight right now. I told Tara to do what she needed to save Abel." Her voice is quiet and touched with sadness. I nod in agreement. She changes the subject. "I hear you're looking for your own place."

"Yeah, I love dad but I need to have my own space." I answer; my mind still on poor Abel. I push myself away from the doorway and turn to head back to the garage.

"When you're done for the day, ride with me to the storage unit. I want to grab a few things for Jax." She tells me. I agree before walking back to my inventory.

I concentrate on my work or attempt to for the rest of the day. The guys are in and out all day. So many thoughts flood my head, making it difficult to think straight but thankfully the day flies by. When Gemma calls my name from the office, I am shocked at the time. I put my files away and head to her car.

Three blocks from her house, she pulls into the driveway of a small white house with an attached garage and a cute front porch. The house is well-maintained and the lawn is cared for. We get out of the car and she comes to stand next to me as I lean against the door of her SUV giving her a confused look.

"What do you think?" she asks.

"It's cute." I shrug.

"Come inside, check it out." She said pulling my arm. The house smells of fresh paint and lemon cleaner. The interior is bright and everything looks new, including the appliances. The place is fully furnished and decorated. In the kitchen I notice that the cherry wood cabinets and marble counter are flawless. With each step, I fall a little more in love the place.

"This is nice. Jaxson thinking of getting a new place?" I ask

"Nope, this is for you." My mouth falls open.

"What? Oh my God Gemma, are you kidding me?" I can barely keep my excitement down.

"I know you needed it hun. It was your dad's idea. Opie and Jax did all the handy work and installed the appliances for you. Everyone helped out and brought all your stuff from Piney's." I stare at her for a moment before throwing my arms around her.

"You're the best! I can't believe this." I tell her.

"Your dad feels bad that he's been on your case lately. Call it an early birthday present." My smile is permanently in place.

* * *

When the SUV comes to a stop in the parking lot, I notice Piney's bike is parked by the clubhouse. I head in to see the old man before going to my own car.

"Hi Daddy." I greet him with a kiss on his weathered cheek.

"Hey baby girl. When did you get here?" he spins away from the bar to face me.

"Gemma and I just got back. She took me to see the house. Thank you so much! I love it." I gush.

"Oh it's nothing. It's time you stop cleaning up after your old man. You need your space. I'm glad you like it." He hugs me close.

Even through our rocky relationship, I'm still a daddy's girl. We only had each other when mom left with Opie. She didn't bother to take me with her. She figured Opie was the only one in danger of following in Piney's footsteps. Opie came home as soon as he was old enough. I hadn't talked to my mother in years and that was just fine.

"How's the baby?" Piney calls me back to reality.

"I'm not sure. Gemma said they're talking about surgery. I know it doesn't look good." His face falls. Filip and Bobby walk in, interrupting our conversation. I kiss my dad on his cheek and head out to my car. Just as I'm getting into my car, Filip catches up with me. He leans over the open window on the driver side.

"What did Jax say to you earlier?" I give him a quick recap of the conversation.

He watches me over his sunglasses as he leans against the top of my car. I can't help melting under his gaze. The power he has over my body is intoxicating and maddening.

"Think he's just guessing?" I ask.

"Aye, he doesn't know anything or he would have said something to Opie." He reassures me.

"What are you doing tonight?" I ask as I brush my hand up against his on the door.

"Club business." He answers, his breath catching slightly.

"I guess I'll have to actually get some sleep tonight." I pout, giving him my best puppy-dog eyes.

He shakes his head at me and heads back to the clubhouse, laughing. As I watch him walk away, I can't help wondering why I can't get this man out of my head. I pull out of the parking lot and head to the hospital to check on Abel.


	6. Chapter 6

The hard plastic chairs add to the torture of waiting for news. Each time the swinging doors open, we all sit up a little straighter. Thoughts of Filip, my brother and Donna and Jax run through my head. My eyes grow heavy and LuAnn hands me a cup of hot coffee. I smile at her. Aunt LuAnn and Uncle Otto have always been so good to me. When I see my brother walking toward us hand in hand with Ellie, I rush over.

"What's going on?" I ask him, bending down to check my niece over.

"Nothin, she just wasn't acting like herself." He said, not making eye contact and shifting uncomfortably. I knew when my brother was lying. I sent Ellie over to say hi to Gemma.

"Now, what's really going on? Is she ok?" I ask, forcing him to look at me finally.

"Yeah, she's all right. Clay wanted me to do something tonight and Donna freaked. We decided to use Ellie as an excuse. Just wanted to make it look legit." He said; his face flush with embarrassment. My heart went out to him.

"Opie, I'm gonna be honest with you because I love you with all my heart. You need to talk to Donna. I know it's hard and I know she doesn't even want to hear it but it's going to tear you apart if you don't talk about it. Why don't you take Ellie home and spend time with your family?" I wrap my arms around his middle, burying my face in his shoulder. There's nothing I can say to help him right now but I want him to know I love him no matter what.

"Yeah, ok. I'll talk to you later." His voice is far away. I watch him walk away, gathering Ellie up into his arms before disappearing around a corner.

The swinging doors open once more and Tara comes out. I sit back down by LuAnn while Gemma talks to her. I silently pray he made it through. Relief washes over Gemma's face and I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"He's not out of the woods yet but he's stable." She tells us. I stand up and give her a hug.

"I'm gonna head home. I'll go in and open TM tomorrow. You stay as late as you need mama. I love you." I tell her as I grab my purse and sweatshirt. LuAnn gives me a hug after promising to stick around for a little bit longer. As I turn to leave, Gemma presses something into my hand, when I open my hand it's the key to my house.

* * *

When I get to the house, I hurry in and close the door. Most everything is put away and unpacked with the exception of my room. I rummage around in a box before finding a pair of pajama pants and a flannel shirt to change into. I take the time to look around my room for the first time. Gemma hung a few family photos for me. I smile at the images of Jax and me when he took me to my junior prom or Opie teaching me to ride a two-wheeler. One photo in particular catches my eye and I reach out for it. Jax, Opie and I are in the garage, working on Jax's first Harley with dad and Uncle John. My eyes well up a little at the memory. I spend the next couple of hours unpacking my few belongings from Piney's. Around midnight, I decide to finally head off to bed.

I'm locking up the door when there's a soft knock. I check the peephole and Filip's standing there, cigarette hanging from his mouth. I open the door, leaning against it. His face is strained and his eyes are tired but they shine when he sees me standing there.

"How do you like it?" he asks. "All settled in?"

"Just about. I have a few more boxes and a few things I have to put in the garage but that can wait until tomorrow. Is there something I can help you with?" I bat my eyelashes at him with an innocent smile.

He flicks his cigarette to the sidewalk and walks in without a word, closing the door behind him. I raise myself up on my toes and press my lips softly to his, slowly letting my tongue slide across his bottom lip. His rough hands find my hips, pulling me leisurely into his arms, deepening the kiss. I pull away and slip my hands under his kutte and help him shrug it off. It drops carefully to the couch.

Whatever happened while he was out is weighing on his mind. I don't ask questions, I learned a long time ago that wasn't my place. Instead, I pull him through the kitchen and into the dark bedroom. I pull his shirt off over his head and admire his body. My finger trails lightly over the outline of a tattoo on his chest. Just as I'm about to reach for his belt, his hand closes over mine.

"I'm gonna take my time with you tonight Aubrey." His raspy voice barely a whisper. He needs this just as much as he wants this.

"Whatever you want baby." I tell him as he leans in to kiss me, his lips are coarse but gentle. There's no hurried need right now. I let myself melt into the kiss and when we break apart for air, I'm dizzy. He pushes me gently back toward the bed and sits me down on the edge. He reaches down and slowly unbuttons my shirt, sliding it delicately over my shoulders. I tremble at his touch.

He kicks off his boots and socks as he climbs into bed next to me. I lie back on my pillows and he leans over me. I stare up into his wild eyes; unfamiliar feelings wash over me. He lowers his lips to mine. His warm palm slides across my stomach to my hip. As he runs his fingers lightly along the edge of my pants, I arch my back into him. The sensation sets me on fire. He works his lips to each of my breasts, using his tongue and his warm breath to make me moan. I bury my hands in his hair, holding his head in place, begging wordlessly for more.

His fingers effortlessly slip under the fabric of my pajamas, exploring every inch of me. He slides two fingers inside of me and I instantly grind against his hand with a soft whimper. He raises his head with a wicked smile; obviously enjoying the look of pure pleasure on my face. Lowering his mouth to me again, he grazes his lips across the sensitive skin under my breasts. His name escapes my lips in a breathless whisper.

The sudden absence of his fingers leaves me wanting more. He pulls my pants off, leaving me in the black lace thong and repositions himself between my legs. Gently running his fingers along the outline of the fabric, he smiles at the shudder that runs across my stomach and into my legs. Lips slightly parted, he lets his tongue explore the inner part of my thigh. Excitement grows inside me. I lie still, afraid of breaking the feeling. Biting my lower lip, I resist the urge to pull his face into me.

Just when I'm about to beg him for more, he reaches his destination and my body spasms. His tongue massages my most sensitive areas as he wraps his arms around each of my legs, dragging me closer to him. I don't even try to quiet my cries as he sends me over the edge more than once. By the time he releases his grip on me, my knees are shaking uncontrollably and I can barely catch my breath.

My eyes close for a moment while I try to gain my composure.

"Don't close your eyes baby. We're not done yet." He whispers as he removes his remaining clothes. He quickly slides me out of my panties and situates his body between my legs. We lay that way kissing for some time, tender, slow kisses. I feel him hard against my thigh and I wiggle under his weight, wanting to feel him inside of me.

I dig my nails into his back, urging him forward. He carefully and methodically pushes himself deep inside me. I grind my hips against him, wanting everything he has to offer. His gentle kisses continue as he moves at a steady rhythm. I'm soon calling out his name, over and over in release. He quickens his pace, eager to satiate my loud pleas. I melt into his arms. His pace returns to the slow and steady movements, prolonging my climax.

A burst of energy rushes through me as I push on his chest, rolling him over to his back. I slide over him and take him into me in one smooth motion. His hands grip my hips, pulling me down. I sit up grinding into him. He reaches up and grabs my arms, pulling me down to meet his lips as he begins pumping me hard and desperate. My guttural cries tell him that he's close and with few more thrusts we both collapse in relief.

"What are you doing to me?" I ask, finally able to catch my breath again as I slide off of his chest, curling up against his side.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing." He moves to sit up on the edge of the bed and starts pulling his clothes back on. I reach out for his arm; he turns his face toward me.

"Stay with me." I plead. "Just stay, please." He stares for a moment longer before abandoning his clothes and returning to the spot next to me. I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat as I fall asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

I wake up to the sound of Filip's phone screaming from the nightstand. He doesn't flinch at first. Sleeping on my stomach, I turn my head toward the still body next to me.

"Hmmm Baby." I move against him, hoping he'll wake up. Stillness. "Filip, your fucking phone is ringing." a little more aggressive. He groans and reaches over me. His body covers me tightly as he grabs his phone. I'm suddenly very awake.

"Yeah." He answers as I maneuver underneath him, turning over.

He listens intently while I reach between our intertwined legs, wrapping my hand around his dick, massaging it gently. He pushes himself up so his chest is off of mine and stares down at me.

"Aye, I crashed somewhere else last night." He answers some question I didn't hear.

As he continues listening to whoever he's talking to, I inch him closer to me and pull him inside. He is trying hard to concentrate on the phone call. I grind my hips into him as he closes his eyes, trying to keep his breath and voice even.

"Yeah, yeah. Ok I'll be there in a bit." He says before slamming his phone shut and throwing it on the floor. "Jesus Christ Aubrey, couldn't wait five minutes?" I reach up, circling my lips around his nipple. His sharp intake tells me just how much he enjoys it. When I bite down hard, he pulls my hair back, grinning at me.

"Now yer in trouble." He laughs as he pulls out of me, leaving me restless and disappointed.

Before I can whine, he flips me over to my stomach and wraps his strong arm around my stomach, pulling me up to my knees before slamming into me. My head snaps back when he pulls a handful my hair, making me scream. He sinks his teeth into my shoulder. I cry out his name exploding around him. He keeps his hard pace crashing against me while my knees go weak. He leaves rough, eager bites across my upper back. That mixed with the impact is enough to quickly get me to the edge again.

He slams into me one last time, growling my name as we both fall into the mattress, gasping for breath. He slowly rolls off of me to his side. He places his hand on my lower back, massaging it gently. I turn to face him, laying my head across my arms.

"Damn, I could wake up like that more often." I smile up at him. He digs his fingernails into my hip and I already want him again. As I roll to my side to get closer to him, he shakes his head at me.

"Uh-uh lass. I gotta get outta here before one of your big brother's comes here huffing and puffing your house down. You gotta get this beautiful ass outta bed and go open TM for Gem." He slaps my ass firmly and I squeal with excitement.

"I gotta shower, think you could make it quick?" I ask him as I slide off the bed and walk to the bathroom. As I turn on the water, He's already behind me. I let the water run over me as he lifts me up, wrapping my legs around his waist and pushes me gently against the shower wall.

* * *

We're dressed and ready to go in no time. When I walk out of the bedroom in a pair of loose jeans and a baggy TM t-shirt, he stares at me.

"What's your problem?" I ask laughing as I grab my purse.

"Never thought I'd find ya sexy in that outfit but knowing what's underneath it's driving me insane." I blush at the compliment.

"You get outta here first, that way it doesn't look obvious. I'll head out as soon as I finish my coffee." I lift myself up on my toes and place a soft kiss on his lips. His hand goes straight to the small of my back and holds me close. I playfully push him out the door before we're both late.

On my way to my car, my phone rings. Opie's name flashes across the caller id.

"Good morning big brother." I greet him almost too happy. He doesn't notice.

"Hey Bree. You talked to dad this morning?" he asks

"No but I bet he's in town having breakfast. He usually is." I tell him. "Everything ok?"

"Yeah, just need to talk to him quick. I'll see you at TM later. Love you." His voice isn't normal. I know something else is up and he's just avoiding it. I try to shake the feeling as I drive to the garage.

* * *

The day runs pretty smooth. By mid-afternoon, the entire club is there and they head inside the clubhouse, shutting the door behind them. Lowell and I are left in the garage alone. I am about the only one outside the club that likes Lowell. I've known him since we were kids. He works hard at the garage. If only he could kick his habit.

"Lowell, how's Moby?" I ask. His son sometimes comes and hangs out at the garage with him.

"Good, good. He's getting big." His nervous twitch can throw others off. "I heard about Jax's son."

"Yeah, so far he's stable. Keep praying and maybe he'll be able to come home soon." I tell him as I stroll over to the bike he's working on.

"Wendy really shooting up while she was pregnant?" he turns to me. I nod as he casts his eyes down. I reach out and touch his cheek.

"Hey, it's ok. Abel will be fine. Jax will be fine." I tell him, he doesn't look so sure. I'm guessing he's thinking about his own demons as he turns back to his work without a word. The sound of Jax's voice tears my eyes away from the poor kid.

"Bree, get your ass over here." He calls out. I jog over to him.

"Now what do you want. Another whore you need chased away?" I smile brightly.

"I heard about that, something about reconstructive surgery." Opie's at my side.

"Hold on a second. You should have seen the damage she did to me. I just repaid the favor." I put my hands up in mock surrender. Even Juice is laughing at me now.

"Damage? You broke her nose and she lost two teeth. LuAnn had to put her on medical leave." The proud smile doesn't leave Jax's face.

"What do you want?" I ask again.

"Mom's at the hospital with Abel. She wants to have dinner tomorrow night. Everyone's gotta be there." He tells me. A dark shadow crosses Opie's face and he turns to talk to Clay.

"Yeah, I'll be there, already told her I would. I could use a home cooked meal. You need me to do anything?" I ask.

"Just check on her. I know she's got a lot going on in her head right now. She needs this family dinner." he lowers his voice so no one else can hear.

"No problem Jaxson." I reassure him. He smiles as he pulls on my pony tail. I slap him hard on the arm and duck out of the way when he pretends to lunge for me. Filip watches our easy interaction with a strange expression. When he catches me looking at him, he pushes his sunglasses back up his nose so I can't see his eyes.

The guys take off for a little bit and I head inside the club to prepare for the beer delivery we're supposed to get today. After rotating the stock, I head back to clean up some of the rooms. Condom wrappers litter the floors and most of the rooms reek of booze, pussy and weed. Not the best combination in closed quarters.

By the time I finish the last empty room, the guys have already returned. Filip meets me on his way to the bathroom. I peek down the hall to make sure the guys are distracted before pulling him around the corner.

I lean against the wall and look up at him seductively. He glances around the corner again and reaches out for my waist. When he's sure we're alone, he leans over me, one forearm against the wall.

"Ya want yer brother and Jaxson to castrate me?" he whispers, checking the corner again.

"Hell no, that would be a tragedy." My face an expression of mock horror.

"Yer hilarious woman." He leans down and kisses me quick. The fact that we're hiding makes it even more thrilling. I grab on to his kutte, holding him there.

"I was just being honest." I murmur against his lips. The sound of footsteps growing closer is enough for us to jump apart. I duck into the closest room and hide.

"Hey Chibs, what you doin man?" Jax asks.

"Just takin a leak brother. I thought I heard something." He says seriously.

"What?" Jaxson pushes open the door to the room I'm in but I've already grabbed an armful of dirty sheets as a cover.

"Hey guys, when did you get back?" I ask, trying my best to look innocent. Filip smiles at me over Jax's shoulder.

"Just got here, what are you doing?" Jax asked with an amused expression.

"I thought with mom being at the hospital with Abel, I could take over doing laundry and cleaning up after you pigs." I teased as I headed out the door and toward the washer.

"Look at you Martha Stewart." He chuckles at his own joke as they return to the bar.

When I make my way back out there; Filip and Juice are gone. Some of the other guys are at the bar with Jaxson. Half-Sack offers me a beer as I walk up. Jaxson grabs it from him.

"No drinking on the clock." He laughs as he drinks half of it in one gulp.

"Because I'm sure you punched out for the day." I roll my eyes at him.

"What are you gonna do? Fire me?" he asks

"Nah, just gonna tell the boss." the guys chuckle at him.

"You do that sweetheart. I ain't afraid of that woman." He answers

"Ok, I'll make sure to let her know that." I wink at him.

"All right, all right. I'm going to my room. Is that enough punishment for you?" he asks as he saunters back to the dorm room he's been staying in, beer in hand. I shake my head at him and turn my conversation back to Bobby. He just got back from a gig in Tahoe. I joke casually with my family for a little bit

The clicking sound of heels interrupts Bobby's story of the Asian Elvis. I glance up at the door as one of my least favorite crow-eaters enters the clubhouse. Emily Duncan is a worn out skank. Almost every member and friend of SAMCRO has had their turn with her. She's here regularly for the Friday night parties.

"I'm looking for Jax." She gives me a death stare. I've had to kick her outta the clubhouse on a few occasions. I point in the direction of the apartment. Filip and Juice come in right behind her. Juice laughs at the disgusted look on my face.

"What the hell is she doing here?" I ask as Juice sits down next to Piney.

"A favor for the club." He tells me

"Hopefully Jaxson's caught up on his shots." I shake my head in disgust.


	8. Chapter 8

On my way home from work, I stop by the hospital to check in with Gemma. As I head down the hallway to NICU, I run into Tara literally. She hasn't changed since high school; her hair is a little longer but she still has that touch of innocence she always tried to maintain. If I'm completely honest with myself, there's a part of me that envied her for getting out of here; for creating a life of her own. She looks at her feet nervously, obviously unsure of what to say.

"How's my nephew?" I ask, deciding Abel is a safe topic.

"Getting stronger a little at a time. He still has a rough road ahead of him." Her eyes don't leave her feet as she updates me.

"He's a Teller, he'll fight like hell." The uncomfortable silence returns. I turn to walk away.

"Aubrey, are you close to Wendy?" she asks, stopping me in my tracks.

"No. Jaxson and Opie have pulled us apart on more than one occasion. Why, she got you feeling bad for her?" I ask

"Maybe I just know what it's like to live in this life-" Tara starts, I whip around, her words pressing a button and sending a wave of fury through me.

"_You_ don't know shit. _You_ ran away, leaving nothing but a broken man in your wake, didn't even turn around to see the damage. You think you can waltz in here and tell me about this life and how hard it is, you have no clue. Wendy should be rotting in a jail cell." My voice is almost unrecognizable with hate.

"Yeah, you're right. She messed up, you don't think she feels bad about that?" I'm not sure if she's still talking about Wendy or herself at this point.

"I don't give a fuck how she feels. I do care about that newborn who never asked to be born, never asked for her to keep him. She decided all of that and then tried to kill him for it. You breeze back in here from your new life and pass judgment on all of us who stuck it out. You have no idea what you did to Jaxson, do you? No idea what your absence did to him. You want someone to visit Wendy, be my guest. You two can bond over the fact that you're the only two women who were able to break him." I don't give her time to respond. Walking away, I don't even turn around to see her reaction. My hands are shaking and I don't trust myself around her for any length of time.

Gemma's watching Abel through the window of the NICU when I catch up with her. A nurse is checking his vitals. When she turns to face me, my rage must be obvious in my face because she pulls me toward a line of chairs in the hall.

"What is it baby?" she asks, her voice full of motherly concern.

"Fucking Tara. She wants someone to give Wendy a pep talk." I quickly tell her about our exchange in the hallway.

"Yeah, Wendy got a hold of some stuff last night and OD'd in her bed. She's still alive unfortunately but the doc apparently feels bad for her." I scoff, shaking my head.

"She's a piece of work. Why is she even here?" I ask, Gemma just shrugs and settles back in her chair.

"I don't know. I don't trust her. She may have fixed Abel's heart but I don't think that's the only thing she's looking to fix." She tells me. "Abel's doing good today. He's a strong little guy. Just like his daddy."

"And his grandma." I smile at her

"I guess I better get used to it now hu?" she laughs at me. "What are you up to?"

We talk easily for a little bit before I head home. I stop at the store and grab some movie night essentials, slightly excited for my first night alone in my new place. As I walk through the aisles, I let my mind wander to Filip. He's always just been there, in my life. I never looked at him as anything but one of the guys. Now I just wanted to be around him. The sex was amazing. It's not like I had a ton of experience to compare it to but it didn't matter. It was better than I had ever imagined.

Something inside me stirred. It wasn't just desire. The smile that spreads across my face at thoughts of the two of us together surprises me. Images of waking up next to him in the morning, cooking him dinner, being there for him after a hard day play over and over in my head. I have never wanted any of that, especially with a club member. A couple of the prospects or the guys that just hung around for the parties had made a pass here and there but between the threat of my brother and the fact that I had a reputation for shooting them all down, they were few and far between. I was ok with that.

Now with Filip, I find myself wanting more; wanting him to call me his. I know it won't happen. Opie and Jax will never allow it. Hell, I don't even think Filip will allow it. My inner monologue continues all the way home. By the time I finish dinner, I've thoroughly depressed myself. I grab the pint of ice cream I bought and flop on the couch to watch some movies.

About halfway through my second chick flick, there's a knock at my door. It's soft at first but grows with urgency. I jump up and open the door without looking. Filip is leaning against the doorway. I move to the side and he steps in without a word. As I shut the door behind him and turn to face him, my heart is racing.

He stands in front of me, staring down. The look on his face is intense and desperate. I press my hand to his chest and take it away in shock when something warm and sticky is there. I look down to my hands to see my fingers smeared with blood. My head snaps up at his face and he closes his eyes with a sigh. I take his hand and lead him down the hall to the bathroom. We don't say a word as I help him undress, seeing more spots of blood under the shirt. It's not a lot and I don't see any cuts that would indicate that it's his blood.

I reach over the tub to turn on the shower as he finishes peeling his clothes off. Before I can leave, he grabs my arm.

"Where do ya think yer goin?" he asks as I turn to face him. He gently pulls the hem of my shirt above my head and tosses it to the ground. He steps into the shower and I finish stripping off my clothes before I join him.

As the hot water blasts over the two of us, I curl up in his embrace enjoying the feel of his arms around me. He leans down to kiss me with no intentions outlined; just the need to feel his lips on mine. I stood there, allowing him whatever he needed in that moment; a kiss or less, maybe more. I wanted to be whatever would make this anxiety fade away from him. The need to heal him scared me but I couldn't think about that right now.

I lather up my sweet smelling soap, massaging it over his body, taking my time and trying to knead away the stress. He turns and plants both of his hands firmly against the shower wall as I work my hands roughly over the tight muscles in his back. The water rushes hot and steady over him and I watch as he visibly relaxes. He shudders as the last bit of tension leaves his body.

I slide my hands around his waist, pulling myself to him. Closing my eyes against the water, I rest my cheek against his back. He rubs his hand over my arm gently. We stand like that for awhile and all the thoughts from earlier return; louder this time. I'm lost in imagining us together like this, all the time; our family and friends aware and supportive of us, creating a life together. My eyes fly open and I back away from his body.

"What's the matter?" he asks as he turns to face me.

"Nothing. Just figured you could use some time alone for a minute. Come out when you're ready." I tell him as I step out of the tub and wrap a towel around my body. As I grab my clothes and head to the bedroom, I hear the water cut off.

"Hey baby, what's goin on in that beautiful head of yours?" he asks, joining me in the bedroom. He runs a towel through his hair leaving it messy. Drops of water glide over his bare chest. I bite my lip fighting the urge to tell him everything I've ever felt, every fear and elation. I turn away from him, unable to keep staring at him and maintain a level head.

"Nothing, just a little tired." I pull a long t-shirt on over my body and start rummaging around in my drawer for panties and shorts. He reaches me in one smooth step and wraps his arm around me, soaking my shirt.

"Yer lying and I know ya are." He whispers in my ear. I don't respond. Not exactly sure what is wrong with me or how to begin telling him. Neither of us moves for a few minutes until he grows impatient and pulls me to the bed.

"Bree, ya gotta tell me what's up. I'm a little worried about ya now." He says as he sits down, pulling me down with him.

"I'm just having a hard time figuring out what I want Filip." I figure that's the safest thing I can say. I stare at my hands in the silence. The seconds feel like eternity.

"What do ya mean baby?" his brow furrows in confusion. I take a deep breath and the words tumble out of my mouth.

"I am a little worried about the thoughts I've been having all day. I want to be with you Filip, not just like this but in general. When we're together it just feels right and that scares the hell outta me. In case you haven't noticed, I don't have a lot of experience with all this. And now, I find a guy I wanna try to be with and it's damn near impossible because of, well, everything and everyone. There's so many things that are stacked up against us and in my head I keep thinking I should run, never look back but there's something else in me that says I should fight. I've never backed down from a fight but it's not just my fight and I don't know what will happen if I do." I can feel his eyes on me as I talk. "I don't know Filip, this is all a little new to me. It's different and I'm terrified of the way I feel when we're together. I can't keep my hands off of you and I can't get you outta my head. These weird images of us are stuck on repeat."

The silence that follows is heavy and uncomfortable. When it becomes unbearable, I stand to leave the room and his hand closes over mine, gentle but firm and pulls me to stand in front of him, resting his hands on my hips.

"Bree, I don't know what this is anymore than ya do. I know that all I wanted tonight was ta come here and be with ya. I just know that I think about ya all day and not just what I wanna do to ya, but what yer doin or if yer safe. I know that every time I see Jaxson flirtin with ya, I wanna strangle the shit outta him. But I don't know anything else." I reach out and run my hands through his still damp hair, placing my lips to the top of his head.

"I just need to know what you want from me. Is this just about sticking your dick in me every chance we get or is it more?" I hesitate, realizing I'm not sure what I want his answer to be. Part of me knows this would be easier to deal with if it was all about the sex, but then I also know that there's this feeling in the pit of my stomach, begging for more.

"I like stickin my dick in ya." He jokes

"Believe me; I like it too. It's amazing. I know it's hard to remember and hell, sometimes I even forget but I'm a girl. There's all these stupid emotions attached to our pussies. I'm just trying to figure them out." I pull his hair back so he's looking up at me. Staring into his eyes, the images I've fought against all afternoon rush back to me, intense and vivid. I drop my hand from his hair and sigh.

"What do ya want me to do Bree? Name it, I'll do it." His hands crawl up under the shirt I threw on. My skin is instantly consumed with heat.

"Tell me what you want from me Filip. That's all I need." My breath catches in my throat as his fingertips dance over my hip bones and tickle the sensitive area that connects to my thigh.

"I want you Bree. I want to feel your body wrapped around mine, I want to hear my name on your lips, want you to think about me as much as I think about you and I want to keep everyone else out of this amazing thing we got goin on. I ain't ready to share you. It's not just sex but we need time to figure out what it is between us." He finally concedes. Hearing his words makes me dizzy. In that moment I realize that I want so much more from him and I'm willing to take whatever he's going to give me.

"Whatever you want baby, whenever." I tell him as I push him backwards on the bed. He sits up in the middle of my bed.

"What are ya doing?" he smiles, knowing full well what I want.

"I wanna go for a ride Filip." I tell him before I crawl on the bed hovering over him. I reach down and undo the towel around his waist. He slides his hands under my shirt, stopping for a moment to roll each nipple between his rough fingers. Pushing the shirt over my head, he pulls my hands behind my back and holds both wrists firmly in place. I struggle against his hold for just a minute until he wraps his lips over my nipple, sucking gently. Still hovering over him, I lower myself to press into him but not taking him inside me.

"Aubrey." My name comes out as a sigh. "You're dripping wet baby." He pulls my arms behind me a little more.

"See what you do to me Filip?" my voice is raspy and low. He releases my hands and digs his fingers into my lower back as he lies back on the bed. I place my hands on his chest lifting myself up and slipping him inside of me. I bury him into me as deep as I can and sit still, watching as he enjoys himself. Slowly I rock back and forth, keeping the pace even and gentle. His fingers twitch at my hips and I know he wants to take control. I lay against his chest.

"I'm yours Filip, anyway you need me or want me for as long as you can stand me." I whisper.

Pulling my mouth to his; he rolls us over, staying inside me the entire time. He picks up the pace as I beg him for more, calling out every time he crashes into me. We finish at the same time and I'm left shuddering where I lie. He slides to the side, resting his head on my chest.


	9. Chapter 9

After Filip left in the morning, I laid in bed enjoying the peace and quiet. The same fears and thoughts I had over the last few days dance at the edge of my mind and I push them away as I get up. Most women my age would have pushed him out the door last night if he had shown up with blood all over his shirt and no explanation. As soon as I realized that it didn't come from him, I didn't need anything else. I grew up in a house where my father would disappear and come home with bruises or cuts and I learned to just bite my tongue and tend to the wounds. Asking questions that I didn't need or want the answers to had never been my style.

Instead of pushing him out the door, I asked him to tell me where we stood as if it were any other night. Maybe there was some truth to Tara's words about this life. I still didn't have any pity for Wendy. She disgusted me at how weak she was. Turning to crank the moment things didn't go her way.

By the time I make it to TM, everyone else is there. As I walk across the parking lot toward the office, a piercing wolf whistle hits me. I spin around to where Jaxson, Filip and Tig are huddled around a car.

"What's your problem?" I smile at Jax as I turn direction toward them.

"Nothing, just figured there had to be a good reason why you're so late today." He answers with a cocky grin. Filip pretends to look disinterested.

"I just wanted to see what it's like to be you for the day. You know, last one here, first to leave." I stick my tongue out at him. As I turn to go, he reaches out and slaps my ass hard. I squeal out at the impact.

"Don't get used to it. There's only one me." He says as he laughs. I turn to look over my shoulder and notice the fierce look on Filip's face. His jealousy is kind of cute.

"Thank God!" I call out before heading into the office.

* * *

The day flies by without incident. By the time we are closing up, I'm starving and excited to go to Gemma's. It's been so long since we had a family dinner like this. On my way home to change, I call Opie to see if he will be there. His phone goes directly to voicemail which is a good indication he won't be joining us tonight. I try not to let the thought bum me out but I miss spending time with my brother and the club. I know it's killing him inside. I'm lost in thought when I pull into the driveway. I'm not paying attention as I walk up to my door.

"Hey Bree." Filip's voice makes me jump in my skin. I didn't notice him leaning against the porch.

"Jesus Filip, you scared me." I tell him as I call my nerves. He's chuckling at my reaction as I unlock the door and hold it open for him. As soon as we're in the house, his mouth is on mine. His hands exploring my body. I pull away from him, lightheaded from the unexpected kiss.

"Hi." I tell him with a smile. "That was an interesting greeting."

"I had to keep my hands to myself all day today, watching you work. Every time I see you in Gemma's office, I have to fight not to throw you up against the door." He says pressing me closer to him.

"As much as I'd love that, I don't think it would end well." I giggle as I move away from him to go change. He follows behind me and sits on the edge of my bed as I start picking up around the room.

"How was the rest of your day babe?" I ask casually, I barely looked at him all day trying to fight my own urges. When he doesn't answer I look over my shoulder and catch him staring at me. "What?"

"I was just watching you. You know you're cute when you're being all domesticated." He teases me.

"Well I'm not putting on a French maid outfit if that's what you're expecting." I joke with him as I carry my laundry to the washer. Just as I finish starting the washing machine, I feel Filip press up against me from behind. He brushes my hair to the side and lightly kisses my exposed neck. His strong arm wraps around me and I allow my body to dissolve into his.

"As much as I enjoy the thought of you playing dress up for me, I can think of better ones than the maid's outfit sweetheart." He whispers in my ear, his smooth voice and hot breath start a fire deep within me. I push away from him as his lips brush against my ear and turn to face him. Slipping my arms around his waist, I close my eyes and breathe in his scent. I nuzzle my face into the heat from his chest and relaxing. He sighs as he runs his hand over my hair and down to my ass.

"You know we gotta get to Gemma's?" I ask mumbling into his chest.

"Aye, but they didn't say we have to be on time." He replies as he lifts me up and places me on the washing machine, spreading my legs and stepping into me. I slide his kutte off of him and lay it gently on the dryer next to me before turning to work on the buttons on his shirt. He's watching every movement with intense eyes and massaging my thighs. When his shirt is unbuttoned, I leave it on him and use it to pull him closer to me.

He watches me as I lightly place my lips against his collarbone, massaging the area with my tongue. He leans on his arms against each side of the washing machine and places his cheek against the side of my head while I continue working my way along his neck. When I reach the spot below his ear that I know will get to him, his breath catches.

The sound of my door slamming shut jerks the two of us apart. I push him away as I jump down and straighten my shirt out. He looks around for a moment before an idea comes to him. He takes off his button up shirt, leaving him in a white tank top and pulls the dryer away from the wall. He pretends he's looking at something as Jaxson comes around the corner.

"I don't know Bree, I think it should be good now. Give it a try." Filip says to me with a wink. I lean over and push the button on the dryer. It springs to life and I smile.

"Hey Jaxson!" I greet him, pretending I just noticed him there.

"What's going on?" He leans against the doorway, arms crossed against his chest and an accusatory scowl on his face.

"My dryer wasn't working and when I mentioned it to Filip today he offered to swing by after we closed and fix it for me." I tell him.

"Why didn't you ask me?" he stares at Filip's back. Filip concentrates on pushing the dryer back against the wall and looks up at me.

"She didn't ask me, I offered." Filip told him as he turned around to face Jaxson.

The tension between the two was obvious and I couldn't stand being under Jaxson's suspicious glares. I sneak between Jax and the wall and return to my room and close the door to get dressed. That was close. As quick as possible, I change into a pair of tight jeans with a short sleeve v-neck shirt. When I leave the bedroom, Jaxson and Filip are waiting in the kitchen. I feel Filip's gaze run up my body and Jaxson notices too. His face turns an odd shade of red.

"We ready? Wouldn't want Gemma getting mad at us." I say as I bend down to wrestle my shoes on.

"Yeah, ride with me?" Jaxson asks but his voice indicates I don't have an option. "I wanna swing by the hospital quick before we go over there."

"Of course, I'll see you later Filip." My words bring him out of his trance and he nods at me following us out the front door.

* * *

The ride to the hospital is tense and I can tell Jaxson isn't happy. When we pull in, he helps me off the back of his bike before climbing off himself.

"Gonna tell me what's going on?" he asks

"With?" I keep my answers short and sweet.

"You and Chibs?" Shit, he really does suspect something. I struggle to keep my face innocent but he's known me all my life and catches my brief guilty expression. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me?"

"Jaxson Teller! Don't you dare judge me. You have no clue what you're talking about." I tell him in a voice I typically reserve for my niece and nephew when they're not listening. "You tell anyone about this and I will disown you. I'll never speak to you again and I mean it. You understand me?"

"No, not even close. I don't understand what you're thinking. You think he cares about you, that he's gonna fall in love with you?" He steps closer.

"Who said that's what I'm looking for?" I ask him, trying to keep up my tough façade.

"I know you, I know what you're looking for. You don't just sleep with someone on a whim. You do it because you care. Look how long you made Nathan wait when you dated him." He tosses back. I run my fingers through my hair, brushing it back from my face. I have no clue what to say to him.

"Just please don't tell anyone. Not yet. Let me figure out if it even needs to be told." My voice is pleading, desperate. I close my eyes and wait for his anger.

"I'll talk to Chibs before I decide what I'm doing with this. He's a brother it's only fair." He concedes but his expression doesn't fade. "Do you love him?"

"I don't know." I answer honestly.

"Would you tell him if you did?" he asks

"No, are you insane? What good what that do? You honestly think he'd make me his old lady, his wife, start a family with me? This is just something that's happening for now. I'm not stupid enough to think he's gonna fall in love with me Jaxson." I drop my gaze to the ground.

"You deserve better than that." He tells me as he pulls me into a hug. "Protect your heart baby sister. Don't let him use you. You deserve to be treated like a queen."

"Jaxson, you know damn well I'll never have a normal love life. I can't date any of the guys in the club, too many risks. No guy in this town will even hit on me for fear that you or Opie will bury him in the woods. No new guy will stick around after meeting this part of my life. I know how this works." I tell him, the thought is kind of depressing.

"Let's go check on Abel." He doesn't deny the truth in my thinking, which makes me feel even worse.

* * *

When we finally get to Gemma's house, the place is packed. Bikes and cars are lined up along the driveway and street. Every light in the house is on. Jaxson grabs my arm before we go inside.

"I love you baby girl but I can only keep this quiet for a little bit. You know that right?" He tells me seriously. "Chibs is my brother and that blood runs deep. You grew up in this stuff you get that. I can't say he's using you for sure but I know this isn't going anywhere and you need to cut it off before you get hurt."

I look up into his eyes, his concern is genuine and it nags at me. All the fears I've had over the last few days come rushing back. I nod, afraid of falling apart if I say anything. I put a fake smile on and he drags me through the kitchen door.

* * *

**That's the last rewritten chapter - bring on the new ones. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Finally a new chapter. My writer's block was killing me for a few days, then I got an idea on how to re-write this and by the time i finished the re-writes, I had some inspiration! Hope y'all like it.**

* * *

I work quietly in the kitchen with LuAnn, Gemma and some of the other ladies. My gaze keeps falling on Jax and Filip. They're laughing and getting along but I can see the look in Jaxson's eyes. He's still angry and I can tell he's still unsure of how to handle the situation. Filip's nervous glances my way make me uncomfortable. Gemma pushes into me and hands me a joint.

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" she asks

"Just wish my brother and Donna were here. I hate seeing him so miserable." It's not a complete lie.

"I know baby. She's just gotta work through this like we all did. It's hard when your husband does time. You question everything and your biggest fear is doing it all over again." She tries her best to reassure me. I keep busy chopping vegetables for the salad without an answer.

I turn around when I hear the door open again and my dad enters the kitchen. He comes straight over to me and places a kiss on my cheek.

"Hi daddy." I greet him as I'm chopping.

"You tell your brother about tonight?" he asks as he looks around and notices Opie's absence.

"Yeah pop, he's spending the night with Donna and the kids." I tell him, not meeting his eyes.

"That boy needs to grow a pair." He shakes his head before staggering over to the table. Great, he's already been drinking. Clay hands him a beer and I roll my eyes, a little more than irritated.

* * *

When we sit down to dinner, Jaxson insists that I sit between him and Filip. I shoot him a glare and he dismisses it with fake innocence. Dinner is delicious and the house is filled with laughter and conversation. I make small talk a few times but Filip can tell I'm distant. After dinner, Jaxson pulls me aside.

"Where are you going?" he asks

"I was planning on going home but I rode with you so you're gonna have to give me a ride." I tell him, a little more irritated then I intended. The thoughts of our earlier conversation, his doubt of a possible future echoing in my head; it's frustrating.

"Wanna get a drink? You look like you could use one." His voice softens and I know this is his way of apologizing.

"Yeah, I do. Let's go." He puts his arm around me as we sneak out the door without a word to anyone. My phone vibrates in my pocket almost instantly.

_What's going on?_

Filip is antsy but I feel like making him wait. I don't want to face what's going on right now. I hold on tight as Jax flies through the streets to the bar. We park out front. It's not as busy tonight but I'm ok with that. There are a few drunk women singing sloppy karaoke and I realize why the bar is a bit empty. As soon as I sit down at the bar, Jax orders a couple of shots for each of us. Apparently we're on a mission tonight. I down both shots before ordering a Whiskey and Coke.

_Where are you? I'm at your house._

Another text. I turn the phone off and throw it on the bar. Jaxson grabs it and puts it in his pocket.

"Here's to ignoring our problems like healthy adults." He winks at me as we both down another shot.

"What am I gonna do Jaxson?" I ask.

"You're gonna forget about that right now. You're gonna have fun and drink with your brother. Then I'm going to laugh at you tomorrow morning while you're suffering from a major hangover." He jokes. I nod in agreement.

Over the next hour, Tig and Bobby join us in my little pity party. Neither of them needs any reason why I'm drowning myself in alcohol. They're both happy enough watching me do it. The three of them take turns buying my drinks and shots, while we laugh at the horrible singing on stage. I'm definitely feeling no pain; until the door swings open and Filip strolls in. The angry look on his face is quickly replaced with a fake smile that fails to reach his eyes.

Jaxson turns to see him walking toward us and walks over to greet him in private; apparently picking a time when we're all drunk to have this conversation. I order another shot. Bobby taps me on the shoulder and I glance over at him.

"We're up." He nods toward the stage as I groan. The guys love making me sing in public. I love to do it but tonight isn't the night. Never one to back down from a challenge, I follow Bobby to the stage. I almost burst out laughing when I see what song he's picked out for us. Growing up, I had a slight crush on John Mellencamp and now whenever they can get me to sing "Hurt So Good" they take full advantage.

Tig moves to a table front and center, practically drooling. Jaxson and Filip watch us carefully from where they are near the pool tables. Jaxson's face broken into a full smile but Filip looks like he's in pain. I shake off the urge to run to him, comfort him and enjoy the rest of the song. When it's over, Bobby stays on the stage for "Fools Rush In" my favorite Elvis song, while I head back to the bar.

Another shot is waiting for me when I reach the bar and I'm starting to feel the full effects of the hard and fast drinking game we're playing tonight. Jaxson makes his way over to me while Filip joins Tig at a table.

"Having fun?" he asks, leaning over the bar next to me.

"I was." I say, taking another sip of my drink.

"You want me to have him leave?" he asks, I search his face and realize how serious he is.

"No Jaxson, I love that you want to protect me but I brought this on myself. I guess I didn't realize how stupid I was being until we talked earlier." I tell him.

"You're not stupid. You just didn't want to be lonely." He says, putting his arm around me.

"It's more than that Jaxson. I really do like Filip. I may even be in love with the man. But what am I supposed to do with that?" I ask. He freezes, his arm tightening around me. I look up at him but he's looking behind me. I turn over my shoulder to see Filip there. My head drops and I burn a bright red.

"You coulda warned me." I whisper to Jax.

"I didn't know until after you said it." He whispers back, still not letting me go.

"Give me a minute?" I ask him, looking up at him with my best little sister puppy dog face.

He glares at Filip as he walks past. I climb onto the bar stool and avoid looking at him as he leans in next to me.

"What's going on Bree?" he asks, I can feel his eyes all over me.

"Just having a little pity party." I tell him and take another drink. His hand travels to the small of my back and he leans in.

"I know you." His voice is haunting. I bite the inside of my cheek, choosing my next words carefully.

"Jaxson found out. We talked. I listened to myself tell him all the reasons we can't be together and all the reasons it would never work. I get it now. We have no future so why continue?" the words rush out of me.

"You think you love me." He's not asking, just repeating my own words back to me.

"Would it make a difference if I did? Would you move in with me, make me your old lady? Seriously Filip, what does it matter?" I can't help the frustration. My liquid courage is egging me on.

"Is that what you want?" he asks.

"It's not about what I want anymore. You think that Piney and Opie will care what either one of us wants? What about Gemma and Clay?" I turn to face him. He leans close, staring into my eyes. My liquid courage is quickly fading and I momentarily forget why we're talking and not kissing. Stupid hormones.

"No offense sweetheart, that's a cowardly answer." He says, I wiggle in my chair uncomfortably without a word. "I'm not leaving until I get an answer."

"Maybe it is what I want." I whisper, looking down at the space between us.

"Maybe?" he asks. I shrug.

"Yeah, I guess what I really want is for that to be an option. The sex is amazing, more than amazing. Granted, I don't have much to compare it to. But it's not all I want. I've known you forever. You've always just been there and when I finally saw you, it was like a light switch. You want honesty?" I look up at him finally.

"Yeah." He says.

"I am falling in love with you and I'm afraid that if this continues, my dad or my brother or anyone else is gonna mess it all up. Or maybe you just won't feel the same way. I know how things were with your wife. Maybe I'll never be enough." I tell him.

"Christ." He says running his hands through his hair. My defenses fly up.

"Hey you wanted to know." I tell him, pushing him away.

"Knock it off." He grabs my hand to stop me from leaving. "Aubrey, I've wanted this since that day I fixed yer car. I haven't stopped thinking about yer lips, yer voice, yer angel eyes."

"Now what?" I ask, staring at him. No one is more surprised than I am when he leans down and kisses me, long and deep. His hand caresses my cheek and everything else around us is suddenly gone. Until Jaxson pulls Filip back.

"What the hell? I thought we talked about this. It's not a good idea." He is seething at me.

"Brother, it was me, don't get mad at her." Filip says.

"Oh I know, I'll get to you next." He says through gritted teeth before turning back to me. "Wait until I tell your brother." His eyes are wide.

"I'll tell my own brother thank you very much. I'll also tell my dad. And anyone else I feel needs to know. I love you Jaxson, always will but I need to see how this goes for myself. I'm a big girl." I tell him in a calm voice. Bobby and Tig are at Jax's side watching the exchange with confused looks.

"What are you telling your brother?" Tig asks.

"She's not. I will." Filip says rubbing his hand up and down my back. Bobby realizes what is going on before Tig and laughs. Everyone turns to stare at him.

"Hey, it's about time. I'm sick of watching the two of you do this dance. Chibs watches Bree like she's some kind of angel. You really surprised by this Jax?" he asks through his chuckles. "Let them figure it out."

I'm suddenly beyond grateful for him. Jaxson's face is still livid. Bobby pulls him away and whispers in his ear. Jax nods and the two of them leave with Tig. I look up at Filip.

"Now what?" I ask.

"Let's get you home. We'll lock the door and deal with all that tomorrow." He says.


	11. Chapter 11

**Another new chapter. Hope you guys like this. This one is hot. If you don't like smut, ya might wanna skip it. ;)**

* * *

A few days after Filip kissed me in the bar, we still haven't talked to my brother. Surprisingly, Jaxson, Bobby and Tig haven't said anything to the club and Jax has given me the silent treatment. Work has flown by and I was even able to spend a few hours with my niece and nephew. Between my time at TM and the hospital with Abel, I haven't really had a moment to think straight. Filip has been over every night and spent the night with me. We haven't talked anymore about where we're going or how to tell anyone. I can tell that Jax's impatience is growing. Friday at work, he finally talks to me.

"Hey." His simple cold greeting makes me uneasy.

"What's up Jaxson?" I ask, attempting to sound casual.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"Depends on what you're asking about." I tell him.

"You know what I'm asking about." He says quietly

"I don't what's going on actually. Am I still seeing him? Yeah. Have we decided to call my dad and Opie? No. Shit, Jax I don't know how to do it. How do I say anything and not get Chibs beaten or killed. I know that can't be what you want." I tell him, sitting down on the picnic table next to him.

"No I don't but they need to know. You and Chibs have no chance unless you can be honest about this. You know that?" I'm a little surprised at his change of heart.

"Where did that come from?" I question

"I don't know. I guess I just know how fucking stubborn you are and at least it ain't Tig right?" he laughs a little. There's something off about him today.

"Something you wanna tell me here big brother? I feel like I'm missing something." I ask.

"Nah, we're good. Tell Opie. Let him tell your dad. Have Chibs do it if he's brave enough. I'll go with for back up." He tells me before standing up. "Just do it." He turns to walk away but stops for a moment, remembering something.

"Chibs has some club stuff to do tomorrow. Come with us to Fun Town? Mom and Clay are going too." He smiles at me. The annual carnival has been kind of a tradition. I'm terrified of clowns so for the most part, he just likes to antagonize me but it's still fun nonetheless.

"Yeah, pick me up when you guys head out." I tell him and he turns to walk away. Filip steps out of the clubhouse door as Jax jumps on his bike.

"You hear that?" I ask.

"Aye." He answers. "He cornered me earlier, gave me the same lecture."

"He seem . . . off to you?" I ask.

"Tig said he's been spending a lot of time at the hospital." He said.

"Yeah with Abel." I answer, not liking where this was going.

"And Tara." He puts his sunglasses on the top of his head and glances down at me. I forget where we are for a moment and lean into him as he stands next to the table. His hand automatically goes to the back of my neck, gently massaging. A few minutes pass by before I remember myself. I jump up and glance around for witnesses. The place is deserted for once.

"What do you think we should do?" I ask.

"He's right, I should go talk to Op." he tells me solemnly.

"You want me to call Jax?" I ask.

"Nah, I need to do this on my own." He leans over and places a kiss on my cheek. He rests his forehead against my temple for a minute before sighing and walking away.

"Good Luck." I tell him as he starts his bike.

* * *

**Filip's POV**

When I get to Opie's house, he's in the garage working on his bike. Great, he's got tools near him. He looks up as I shut off my bike and smiles a little. Each step I take toward him is heavy and dreadful.

"What's up brother?" He says with a wrench in his hand. I stare at it cautiously.

"We gotta talk Opie. You gotta minute?" I ask.

"Yeah, sounds serious." He puts the tool down and leans back from the bike

"It is. There ain't no easy way to say this brother. I'm kinda seeing someone." I tell him and he bursts out laughing.

"That's great I guess. She must be something special if you drove all the way over here." He chuckles before going back to work. "Who is she?"

"Aubrey." I shift my weight and watch as he stiffens, his face growing red.

"My FUCKING sister? Are you fucking serious?" he flies up from his spot on the ground. I brace myself.

"Yeah. Yer sister." I offer no apology or explination. Nothing I say can help now. I was expecting him to hit me and he didn't disappoint. I didn't have a chance to flinch out of the way before his fist made contact with my jaw. The pain is instant and I don't swing back. He continues swinging, all the time yelling at me about how insane and stupid I was. When he finishes, he leans over, hands on his knees and catches his breath.

I stand up a little weak and sore. I took most of the blows to my arms and body.

"It's not what you think Op. I wouldn't hurt her." I try to reason with him as he stands up to face me.

"You come over here and tell me that you're fucking my sister-" he says

"It ain't just sex Opie." I try to reassure him.

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I GIVE A FUCK? You're fucking my sister! My sister, it's wrong." Donna appears at the doorway.

"She's old enough to make her choice Opie. She was going to come over here and talk to you but I told her I would cuz yer my brother. I want ta be honest with ya." Donna hands me a towel to wipe the blood from my mouth.

"How long?" he asks

"A few weeks, a month. It just kinda happened one night." I stretch out my jaw and the slow ache is building. I need a fucking drink.

"What do you want me to say here man?" The anger is fading

"Yell and scream at me. Tell me I'm an idiot and yer gonna kill me. Just don't say none of that to her. She's been freaking out about telling ya. She doesn't wanna hurt you or disappoint you. She kinda misses ya." I tell him.

"This ain't right. I don't like it." He says, shaking his head.

"Opie, it's none of your damn business." Donna tells him. He stares at her in shock. "I mean it. You can't tell her what to do. You can't get mad at Filip for being attracted to your beautiful sister or for coming here to tell you about it respectfully. Did you ask her before we started dating? I was her friend first ya know?"

"It ain't the same." He growls

"Like hell it ain't. She's a grown woman. She deserves happiness and if she's happy, you gotta back off." She said before turning on her heel and marching back to the house. The tension between us softened a little.

"You hurt my sister asshole and you're dead." He tells me.

"I get it. I wouldn't do that to Bree." I tell him.

"I gotta go tell my dad. I think it's best if I try to talk to him first." He runs his hand through his hair and turns toward the house. I hurry back to Bree's house in case Piney makes a drunk appearance. He wouldn't hurt his daughter but I'm sure she doesn't wanna deal with that either.

* * *

**Aubrey's POV**

I try to keep myself busy around the yard while I wait for Filip to get back. Each moment that passes drags on and I grow more worried. When I finally hear Filip's bike pull onto my block, my heart races. He parks in the driveway and I'm relieved he's alone until I see the forming bruises on his face.

"What the fuck did he do?" More angry than I intended.

"Calm down Bree. It's all good. We were just talking." He reassures me. I reach out and lightly touch the violet colored skin and he flinches. I grab his hand and lead him into the house. He sits at the table while I grab him a bag of frozen peas out of the freezer and toss it to him. He leans his cheek against it and closes his eyes.

"What did he say?" I ask.

"He was pissed but Donna set him straight, well kinda. Then he told me not to hurt you and left to call your dad." He explains.

I lean against my counter and chew on my fingernail nervously. Suddenly I pushed myself away from the counter and reached for my phone.

_Filip talked to Op. Play dumb when he calls you. Tell Tig & Bobby the same thing._

I send a quick warning text to Jax that goes unanswered. Tossing my phone back on the table, I help Filip pull the ice away from his face and see the extent of the damage is pretty isolated.

"Just one swing?" I ask surprised.

"Just one free shot, the rest I blocked. I'll be sore tomorrow." He says. I stand up and cross to the door, locking it. When I turn back around, he's standing in the doorway to the living room. He shrugs his kutte off and hangs it on my chair before sitting down on the couch, rolling his head back against the cushions and tossing his feet up on to my table.

I lean down in front of him and help him take off his shoes before taking a spot next to him cuddled up. We turn on a movie and sit silently waiting for my dad's phone call or visit but it never comes. Sometime during the movie my eyes grow heavy and I let them close as I lean against Filip. The distinct tone of my phone scares me awake.

_Dad's pissed and drunk. You're lucky I got him into bed instead of him flying over there. We gotta talk. I'm not happy._

I frown at my brother's words.I shouldn't be upset. What did I expect? Filip's hand closes around my phone, pushing the power button and placing it on the table next to the couch.

"Don't worry about it. We'll deal with it." He says. "It'll be a few days, maybe longer but it will all work out. Now we should turn in. I got club stuff in the morning and you're eating funnel cakes with Gemma and Clay. You gotta tell them." He tells me. I look down at my hands.

"Great! I'm looking forward to it." My sarcasm makes him smile.

"What are ya more afraid of? Gemma or the clowns?" he asks

"Both, it's pretty equal." I giggle

"Let's go baby." He stands up and pulls me to the bedroom.

When we climb into bed next to each other, I wrap my leg around his bare thigh and pull myself in tight next to him. He shoots me a wicked grin when he realizes I have nothing on. His fingertips brush lightly against the bare skin on my back and immediately there's a pull in my stomach.

"Christ Bree, yer already dripping on me." His lips hungrily nip at my neck and chest, making his way to each breast and rolling the nipples between his lips, sucking and biting each one. I lie back on my back and give him full access to each breast.

His hand automatically hovers over me, fingers exploring between the folds and stopping on my clit. The feel of his tough skin rubbing across the sensitive nub has me grinding my ass into the mattress, sinking harder and faster into an intense shudder. I hear him chuckle at me and I pull his mouth to mine, keeping his face above my own with my hands . My tongue slides lazily across his bottom lip providing a single contact. I take his bottom lip between my teeth, slightly sucking it into my mouth before letting it go.

He growls and pins my hands above my head with one hand, still manipulating my pussy with his other hand. His lips crash into my own with a hungry furor. I part my lips allowing myself to taste him. He doesn't let up as he quickens the pace of his fingers inside of me, hitting that spot every time. I bend my knees and push off the bed slightly as a violent, intense orgasm rips through me. I bite his lip as I buck against his hand a couple of times before falling limply back to the mattress with his lips still covering a trail between my lips and collar bone.

He finally releases my hands and I pull his hand out of me and positioning myself under him. I don't give him a choice as I wrap my hand around his dick and lift my hips up to guide him in. As soon as he's completely inside me, I dig my nails into his back, pulling myself up to meet him all the way.

"I couldn't wait to be buried inside you tonight baby. You feel so good." He whispers in my ear. His words help me to slow down a little, taking my time as I come up to meet him. "I want you to ride me, baby." He pleads

He rolls me over the top of him and I slide slowly down on top of him, rolling my hips all the way down and grinding against him, trying to pull him further inside of me. I made sure to keep a slow and steady pace for him. His hands roamed across my nipples, pinching and pulling them with each time I pulled almost off of him. I sat there like that a moment, letting just the tip of him inside me, flexing against him before crashing down on top of him. One hand slid to my hip and the other between us as he pressed his thumb against my clit matching the increasing rhythm I kept. Soon my muscles were clenching against him. Just as I slammed against him again, grinding into him, we both exploded. I raked my fingers down his chest as he gripped my ass in both hands pulling me down on him farther.

"Now I'm really gonna be sore tomorrow." He laughs at me as I climb off of him and collapse on the bed on my side. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls himself up against me from behind.

"It's not my fault you can't keep up with me old man." My voice is raspy and my breathing jagged.

"Yer gonna get me going again with all that sweet little girl talk." He teases. I push my ass back against him and feel him start to harden.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I am a sweet little girl." His hand already starts to slide down my stomach, pulling me into him. "Mmmmm what are you doing?" I moan.

"Showing you who can't keep up." His husky voice is seductive. He groans slightly when he reaches between my legs and traces a finger along my slit. I already feel myself responding to his touch. I reach behind my back and find that his dick is already rock hard again. I roll over to my stomach and push myself off the bed to climb back on top of him. This time, he sits up with his back against the wall as I straddle his lap. His strong hands grip my sides under my breasts and pulls each one to his mouth, one at a time.

I quickly pull him back inside of me and instead of taking my time, I quicken my pace, gliding up and down on him and listening to him moan against my nipple. I bury my hands in his hair, pulling his mouth on to me and encouraging his rough sucking and biting.

He doesn't hesitate, pushing me down onto the bed. He crawls on top of me pulling my leg up as high as he can so he can go deeper with each thrust. I squeal as he slams into me one last time. Another orgasm sends spasms throughout my body. As soon as he lays down next to me and pulls me to him, I fall asleep. A deep, satisfied sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

I'm awake and productive the next morning; cleaning the entire house, doing laundry all to distract myself. I half expect my dad to come barreling in at any minute but I still haven't heard from him. Opie hasn't called either. Filip insists it will all blow over and as much as I hope he's right, I doubt it. Later that afternoon when there's a soft knock at my door, I flinch. Jaxson stands at my door, a small smile on his face.

"Not who you were expecting?" he asks as he walks in.

"Not sure who to expect yet. Opie hasn't called me and I haven't heard from my dad yet." I tell him.

"You're dad is in no shape to talk. I'm sure you'll hear from him when he's sober." He explained. I chew on the inside of my cheek, trying to figure out what to do with my family.

"You ready? I could use a day of fun." I grab my purse and keys to follow him but he stands in his spot.

"You ok Bree?" His concern is sweet.

"Yeah, I just want to get all the yelling out of the way. I get to tell Gemma today. Filip figured she wouldn't attack me the way she would him." I tell him, he laughs at me as we head out of the house.

The smells of greasy fair food do nothing for my nausea when we arrive. The butterflies in my stomach have taken over and all my confidence is fading. Gemma and Clay wait for us with Bobby, Juice and Tig by some of the rides. The guys are in playful moods and when I walk up; Tig throws me over his shoulder and carries me over to the Fun House. Standing outside is one of the creepiest clowns I've ever seen in my life. Jaxson roars with laughter when Tig sets me down and I try to run away.

"No way Bree, in ya go." Jaxson hands the clown some tickets and I keep my eyes on the ground in front of me, trying hard to control the shaking. When the clown reaches out and tries to shake my hand, I freak out. The guys fall apart, laughing hysterically as I clutch onto Clay's arm. This is horrible. Gemma shoos the guys into the fun house, yelling at Jax for being an ass.

"Let's get something to eat." She says, wrapping her arm through my own and turning back to the food carts. Clay holds her free hand. I stay quiet, trying to figure out what to tell Gemma, until the guys return from their trip through the freaky fun house.

"You should have come with us Bree." Jaxson shakes his head laughing at me.

"I think I'm good. Thanks anyway. Let's hit some of the other rides." I tell him, no real enthusiasm in my voice. Gemma gives me a questioning glance. Jax turns around and allows me to climb on his back as we head back over to the Tilt-A-Whirl.

"You didn't tell her yet?" he whispers

"I don't even know where to begin." I answer, resting my chin on his shoulder.

"Just tell her before Piney or Opie do. She'll flip out." He tells me. I know he's right but the dread rising up in me isn't helping.

For the rest of the day, I let myself get wrapped up in all the fun. It's so nice to spend time with Jaxson like we are kids again, no worries. We run giggling from ride to ride and game to game. He actually wins one of those stupid cheap teddy bears and tosses it to me. Gemma and Clay are watching us, joining in the fun here and there. It's relaxing and for the time being I can forget they are going to be furious with me in a little bit.

Tig and Bobby jump on some rides, while Gemma and Clay disappear into the photo booth. Jax and I casually stroll along the games.

"Speaking of telling people things they need to know, what's going on with you Jaxson? I hear things you know? I'm a little worried." I tell him.

"Worried?" he scoffs

"I heard you've been spending time with Tara." I stop and look at him. He runs his hand through his hair.

"You did huh?" he doesn't answer

"Is it true?" I ask.

"We're just talking; she saved my son's life." He says. I realize I have no room to lecture him.

"Just do me a favor, be careful. Don't let her pull you back in so easily." I tell him. "That why you changed your mind about Filip and me?"

"No, I talked to Chibs. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I still don't think it will end well." He tells me as we start walking again.

"Nothing 'ends well'. Endings suck." I say

"Yeah, they do." He muses.

Tig and Bobby meet up with us just as we reach the dunk booth. Another creepy clown is belittling a little boy who missed his shots. Jax walks up to take a turn and misses as well. The clown starts talking shit and before he knows what is happening, the three guys rush the tank, pushing the button to dunk him. I laugh as I watch them repeatedly push his head under the water. Juice jogs up to us, laughing.

"Nice job!" he calls out. The trio walks away from the tank laughing. "Guys we gotta go. Clay's waiting for us."

"Aww, we were having so much fun." Tig whines with an evil grin.

"Get outta here before Clay hunts you down. Be safe." I tell them as we part.

After the sun has gone down, I catch up with Gemma in the mid-way of the carnival. She smiles when she sees me. At least I don't have to tell her and Clay at the same time.

"Hey baby. You having fun?" she asks. I nod in reply, swallowing the huge lump at the back of my throat. "What's going on with you? You've been awfully quiet today."

"I gotta talk to you mama." I brace myself, deciding direct is the best policy. "Don't freak out, I've kinda had enough of that over the last two days. I wasn't planning this and I'm still not sure what it is but Filip and I are kinda, sorta together."

"Excuse me?" she says, a shocked expression on her face. "Does your father know?"

"Yeah, Filip talked to Opie yesterday, Opie talked to dad." I stare at my hands, not able to look at her. She's disappointed.

"Filip? Jesus Aubrey. What are you thinking?" she asks, not yelling, just concerned.

"It kinda just happened. There was this night, he was taking care of me and I just saw him. Really saw him. I kissed him and . . ." she holds up her hand, not wanting to hear anymore.

"How long?" she asked.

"About a month now." She puts her finger on my chin, lifting my eyes up to hers. "He's good to me Gem. I'm happy." I try to reassure her.

"Is it serious?" her gaze makes me uncomfortable.

"I think it could be but we've both been so wrapped up in how to tell or if to tell." Her eyes search mine for something.

"Baby girl I hope you know what you're doing." She shakes her head.

"Me too." I can't help admit. "I think I'm completely falling for him. It's scary but he hasn't given me any reason to doubt him. I feel safe with him."

"Oh boy, you got it bad honey." She laughs at me as we walk along. My phone buzzes in my pocket. Filip's name lights up the screen.

"Hey" I answer, taking a step away from Gemma.

"How's it going baby?" Just the sound of his voice makes me grin uncontrollably.

"Not so bad, better than I thought at least. Everything ok?" I ask

"Aye. I just wanted to make sure Gemma didn't throw you off a Ferris wheel or somethin." He teases

"No, we talked. I'll see you tonight?" I ask, hoping he's going to be there later.

"Damn woman, don't you need a night off?" he chuckles.

"Not anytime soon. Bye Filip." I tuck my phone back in my pocket and turn back to Gemma. She's staring at me.

* * *

We're grabbing lemonade when Karen Oswald approaches us frantically.

"Have you seen Tristan?" she asks, worried. We both shake our heads. "She's missing, she was right here and now we can't find her."

"Oh my God." Gemma yells going with the woman to help her find her daughter. Elliot is on the phone with Unser, reporting his daughter missing. I follow him to help in the search. The carnival is suddenly surrounded by police cars and people joining the search. The police are combing the area around the grounds. Gemma and I stand with Karen, trying to calm her, waiting for any news.

* * *

Sometime after 2am, Unser approaches our table. His weary face speaks volumes.

"Ma'am, we found her. We're taking her up to St. Thomas, c'mon I'll get you into the bus with her." He says. One of the other deputies helps the Oswalds to the ambulance with their daughter.

"She gonna be ok?" Gemma asks

"I don't know Gem. It looks pretty bad." He answers; a bleak look on his face. "You guys should head on home. Not much else we can do until after we know what happened."

We walk toward the parking lot in silence. I stare at my feet as we walk until Gemma clears her throat. I look up and Filip is waiting, leaning on his bike. A tired smile creeps across my face. He meets us about half way and puts his arms around me.

"All right?" he asks.

"Just tired." I tell him

"Gemma, how bout you?" he asks, not taking his arms away.

"We'll see Filip. Be good to my baby girl, understand?" she pokes her finger in his shoulder. He nods. I pull away from him and give her a hug and kiss before heading to Filip's bike.


	13. Chapter 13

"Who's the dude with the Benz?" Kip asks Tig. I look up to see who pulled in.

"Elliot Oswald." Tig tells him. I join them as they lean against a railing, watching Clay and Jax head over to the car.

"As in Oswald Lumber?" Half-Sack responds.

"Yeah, Oswald Lumber, Oswald Beef, Oswald Construction." Tig tells him.

"Seriously Half-Sack, it's a small town, how many Oswald's you think there are here?" I tease the guy a little.

"Hey, so you and Chibs hu?" Tig changes the subject.

"Yeah, I guess so. Sorry Tiggy. That means no more of our secret love affair." I look up at him, squinting in the light.

"What? We could have been doing this all along?" he laughs at me as he gets back to work. Elliot, Jaxson and Clay head into Gemma's office. Filip heads over to where I sit, entering orders in the computer.

"Hey baby, you hear from yer da yet?" he asks. I shake my head at him.

"Nah but I'm sure I will. He may be up at the cabin on a bender for all I know." I murmur to him, not wanting others to overhear.

"I got some club business, I won't be around tomorrow. You ok by yourself?" he asks.

"Sure, I'll just call Tig over." I tell him, a smile creeps across my face. Tig overhears and whoops loudly from his bike.

"Back off Tig, wouldn't want ta have ta bury yer body somewhere." Filip warns him with a hint of sarcasm.

"I'll be fine babe. You be safe?" I tell him, before leaning over to give him a kiss. The guys all ooh and ahh, making me blush.

Clay, Jax and Elliot walk back out of the office, Elliot shakes their hand and leaves. Clay heads over to us.

"Can I talk to my little girl alone here Filip?" I cringe at the tone in his voice. "Give me five minutes and I'll meet you in the clubhouse." Filip looks at me, worried. I wave him away, Clay's not the one I'm worried about.

"What's up Uncle Clay?" I ask, trying to pour an innocent tone in my voice.

"Nope, none of that. I know your game little girl. What's this Gemma tells me that you and Filip are 'together' whatever the hell that's supposed to mean?" he asks.

"Don't be like that Clay. He's a good guy and you know it. If you were really worried about it, you would have beat the shit outta him already." I put my hand on his arm and look up into his stony face.

"Don't mean I gotta like it sweetheart. I'll kill him if he hurts you. You know that right?" he asks.

"Hey, I'm not the one in danger apparently. Either way this ends, you will all be lined up to put him in a body bag." I laugh at him. He kisses me on the forehead and walks away.

* * *

The guys are only inside for a short time before Deputy Hale pulls in with two other officers. Juice comes out and leaves with Half-Sack to pick up tires.

"Good Afternoon Officers." Lowell practically stutters. David Hale is an arrogant, self-righteous asshole. I think he gets off on intimidating people and that's why he hates the club so much. I stand up and walk over to Lowell, placing my hand on his arm.

"Hey, run inside and grab the guys. Wait five minutes so I can get them talking and then go in and grab them." He shakes his head and walks over to the bench.

"What can I do for you Davey?" I call out to him. I know how much he hates it when I call him by his first name. We went to school together, I can't help it.

"Deputy, if you don't mind Aubrey. Who's all here?" he asks.

"Whoever's scheduled. Gotta special request or is it ok if I just put your car in the rotation for the next available mechanic?" I ask standing in front of him. He doesn't notice Lowell walk toward the clubhouse.

"No we're here on official police business." He says.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch Clay, Jaxson and Tig crossing the parking lot.

"You girls selling cookies?" Clay calls out.

Hale walks over to meet them halfway. Jaxson's face tells me he's pissed off.

Filip comes over to stand by Lowell and I.

"This doesn't look good." I whisper.

"Aye, but Clay will handle it." He tells me.

We watch as the two men exchange words for a little longer. Then Hale takes off, leaving two officers to talk to the rest of the group. Tig steps over by us. He pulls me aside.

"Can you run in the clubhouse and get something out of that room I sleep in sometimes?" he whispers. I nod and he gives me a description of what to look for. I walk casually into the building, the officers busy questioning Jax and Clay.

It doesn't take me long to find the baggie Tig asked for. I tuck it in my bra and step back out to the main bar. I grab the can of coffee from behind the counter and head back outside. Tig meets me in Gemma's office, hooking up the coffee pot. He's practically giddy. He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and dances off toward Clay and Jaxson who are watching the officers wait for the other club members. I brew the coffee. Tig dumps in some of the pills and lets them dissolve quickly.

The officers start heading toward the office so I duck out. Filip stands near his workstation and I lean on the counter next to him. Jaxson stands in the doorway while Tig and Clay go inside with them. I see Tig catch one of the officers; helping him so he doesn't fall. Clay sits the other one in the desk chair. The guys are laughing at them.

"You go up to the hospital with mom. If those two wake up, I only want Lowell or one of the other guys here." Jaxson tells me as he leaves with Filip. I give Lowell strict instructions to call them if the cops wake up and I leave quickly.

* * *

I beat Gemma to the hospital. I'm walking in when Tara steps in front of me. She stops, staring intently at me. I roll my eyes and try to step around her. She moves in front of me again.

"Something you feel like saying doc?" I ask her

"Wendy's out of detox." She tells me.

"Good for her. Glad to see the junkie whore held on." I don't try to hide the venom in my words.

"Maybe you should talk to Gemma about how she got those drugs." She spits back.

"I'm sure one of her dealers snuck it in or she had it in her clothes when you brought her here." My patience is very close to running out. The doors open and close behind me and Gemma walks in.

"What's going on here?" she asks, noticing the obvious tension between Tara and me.

"Apparently Wendy somehow survived and is given yet another shot to fuck up her life." I tell her through gritted teeth. She places her hand on my arm, giving me a look that says calm down.

"I just thought you'd want to know. Just in case you wanted to bring her flowers or something." Tara stares at Gemma.

Gemma doesn't respond, she turns away, dragging my arm with her. Before I can say anything she pauses again, staring through a window. Earnest Darby is getting off the elevator not five feet from us. I'd seen him around town and dad's always told me to stay away from him. Not that you would need to be told that if you'd grown up here.

She pulls out her phone and makes a call.

"Still looking for Darby?" she asks. I assume she's talking to Clay. She waits for an answer.

"He's at the hospital, heading up to the South wing." She tells him. Another moment passes and she hangs up.

* * *

We check on Abel before she drags me outside with her. She wants to talk about Tara or Filip, I can't tell which. We head out the parking lot doors and take a seat at a picnic table a few feet away. I watch the traffic pass as we sit there quiet for a moment.

"Clay talked to me today." I tell her. "It wasn't so scary."

"Yeah, he said he was gonna. He's worried about it but not half as bad as if it had been Tig." She shakes her head at the thought. "Hear from Piney on the matter yet?"

"Nah, I'm sure he's at the cabin, telling his worries to Jim or Jack. Whichever will listen." I answer.

The door opens again and Darby walks out.

"Shit." Gemma whispers, sitting up. "Give us a minute honey."

I stand up to go when she calls him over.

"Hi there Aubrey." He says as I walk past him back into the hospital. I smile at him in response.

I wait for Gemma in the hospital and as she comes through the door, I see Tig, Bobby and Clay walking up to Darby. I decide not to ask any questions as we head back to Able's room.


	14. Chapter 14

Filip is parked in my driveway when I pull in. He's leaning casually against his bike. I sit in my car for a moment, just staring at him. He looks so amazingly sexy standing there. I can't stop the smile from spreading across my face. He meets me as I open the door and step out. I stand in front of him for just a moment. He picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder.

'Oh jesus, Filip put me down. I'm gonna fall." I giggle.

He opens the door and closes it behind us. He heads through the kitchen and into my bedroom, tossing me on my bed before climbing on top of me. I wiggle to try and get out from underneath him. He pulls me back toward him and kisses me, hard and deep.

The inside of my thigh vibrates and I push him away.

"Uh, babe. Your phone is vibrating. Don't answer it right away, it feels nice." I tease him.

He groans as he pushes himself off of me. He answers and doesn't say a word before hanging up again.

"I gotta go sweetheart. I'll be back." He pulls me to stand up by him and gives me a kiss.

I wrap my hands in his hair and pull him against me. He responds for a moment before pulling away again.

"Oh you're gonna kill me. I'm pretty sure that ravaging you isn't an excuse Clay is gonna accept. I'll be back soon I promise. Wait for me." He puts his forehead against mine and I nod. He gives me a gentle kiss and I sit back down on the edge of the bed watching him go.

Once he's gone my phone lights up on the night stand. I check it and recognize the number.

"Do you need me to come get him?" I ask as I answer, no greeting needed.

"Yeah, he's pretty bad. He didn't want me to call you." The bartender answers.

"All right, I'm on my way. Don't let him leave." I tell him and hang up.

It takes only a few minutes to get to the bar. I pull in as close to the door as I can. The place is relatively deserted. I quickly spots my dad at the bar hovered over his drink with his oxygen tank next to him. Quietly I sit down next to him. He continues nursing his whiskey. The bartender sets a Jack and Coke in front of me. My dad doesn't look up once.

"So you are still alive." I say to him, sipping my own drink.

"Like you care." He mumbles

"Daddy, don't be like that. You know damn well I care." I tell him, letting the anger build up a little.

"Don't you 'daddy' me. You're not some little girl anymore. Apparently you're old enough to make your own bad decisions." He spits the words at me, his breath smells like stale whiskey.

"Whatever old man. You're drunk and you're gonna say something you don't mean." I turn in my chair to look at him. "What's so wrong with me dating Filip?"

"He's too old for you and he's a club member." The old man looks back at his drink before finishing it off. He waves the bartender over for a refill

"You don't want me dating a club member?" I ask, never hearing him tell me that before.

"Hell no, I don't want this life for my daughter." He swings his arm back wildly.

"Daddy, I'm in this life. Not like someone from outside the club would understand this or be able to deal with it. Let's be honest, I can't bring home some yuppie lawyer to family Christmas at Gemma's." I plead with him to understand. He tries to stand up unsuccessfully. He's irate.

"Don't help me. I don't need your help." He struggles to get back to his feet and kicks over several stools around him in response. I give the bartender an apologetic look. He's losing his patience. He takes Piney's drink away and heads to the other end of the bar.

"Dad, come on. Let me give you a ride home." I beg him. He swings his arm again, this time connecting with the side of my face. I stand there, surprised. My dad's never hit me before, accidental or otherwise. His face reflected the shock on mine.

"Oh baby girl. I'm so sorry." He starts to apologize.

"I'm gonna call Opie. He can give you a ride home. We'll talk when you're sober, not until then." I tell him. I try not to get angry knowing that he didn't mean to hit me but I don't want to be around him anymore. I step outside and call my big brother.

* * *

Opie meets me outside the bar a few moments later. Dad has started to sober up a bit, he's drinking coffee now.

"What happened?" Opie asks, noticing the red mark across my face. He tilts my face toward the light.

"Dad swung; I didn't get out of the way fast enough. He wasn't aiming for me, just drunk and not paying attention. I told him we'd talk when he was sober again." I explain and Opie's eyes flash angry. "Hey, don't. Leave it be. He didn't hit me, just swung his arm and didn't realize I was close. No big deal."

"Why don't you go home? I'll handle this." He tells me.

"Opie, I love you. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about Filip." I try to apologize.

"We'll talk about this when I'm not dealing with dad. Just go home." He dismisses me and heads inside the bar.

* * *

I'm completely irritated with my family and my jaw is starting to hurt a little by the time I pull into my empty driveway. I make my way inside and head straight for the bedroom. By the time I sit down on the edge of my bed, I hear Filip's bike cut off in the driveway. He knocks a few moments later and I call for him to come in.

When he sees the mark on my face, he is instantly concerned. He sits down next to me on the bed.

"Rough night?" he asks.

"Yeah, they called me to come and get Piney. I stood too close when he swung his arm. He didn't try to hit me; I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Opie's dealing with him now." I tell him. He caresses my cheek. "Everything ok with you? Are you all mine for the rest of the night?"

"Aye, what did you have in mind?" He asks as a mischievous grin spreads across his lips.

"Let's go for a ride. Can we stay at your place tonight?" I ask. He leans in for a gentle kiss.

"Whatever you want baby." He whispers in my ear.

* * *

On the way to his apartment, I carefully massage the inside of his thighs. I press against him the whole way. By the time he parks his bike, he is needy. I jump off of his bike and bend over to shake my hair out. He presses against me from behind, snaking his arm around my waist. I stand up and he spins me around to face him. Before I can say a word, his lips expertly make their way down my neck to my collarbone.

"We are not doing this in a parking lot. I'm all for rough and kinky sex but that's too much." I tell him breathlessly. There's not much conviction in my voice and I'm sure if he continued, I wouldn't fight him.

"Rough and kinky hu?" he asks, a gleam in his eyes.

"Maybe." I laugh and duck under his arm. He chases me across the parking lot to his door. I lean back against his door and pull his face to mine. He bends down and grabs my thighs, lifting me to wrap my legs around him. The door falls open behind me and I clutch him giggling.

His smell is all over his apartment and I drink it in. It's intoxicating. I lean against his counter in the kitchen and watch him take off his kutte and hang it up. He locks the door before heading in my direction. I stand in front of him, staring up into his eyes. The stress of the last few days melts away. He lifts me up and sets me down on the counter, pushing himself between my legs. Gripping the bottom of his shirt, I slowly push it up and over his head. His pants hang low on his waist exposing the defined area below his abdomen. I run a finger lightly along the line formed from his muscles.

I lean back on my hands as he undoes my jeans before peeling them off of me, his fingers graze the black and red lace on my thong. His hands move to the buttons on my shirt, he leaves the shirt on my shoulders exposing my black lace bra. When he's done, he steps back to inspect his handi-work. His expression is unreadable.

"What?" I whisper to him, sitting up a little bit.

"You're beautiful." He smiles as he moves toward me again.

I reach up to kiss him but he moves to the side and kisses my neck instead. I feel his teeth brush against my skin and the sensation between his kisses and bites is amazing. He pushes me back to lean against the wall behind me and pulls my hips to the edge of the counter. He slides his fingers under the side of my thong and pulls hard, tearing it off of me.

"Listen, I'm not gonna have any sexy underwear if you keep doing that." I tease him.

"Good, you don't need to wear it anyway." He whispers before dropping to his knees in front of me.

I'm dizzy with anticipation. His hot breath against my thigh has me already wet. He glances up to me with a cocky grin. He slowly pushes my legs farther apart. He slides his finger tip lightly along my slit before putting it in his mouth. The feel of his thumb pressed against my clit sends a bolt of pleasure through me. I sit up, gripping the edge of the counter. He replaces his thumb with his lips and tongue and I groan loudly, throwing my head back.

When he feels me start to reach my breaking point, he backs away and stands up. My body shudders at the sudden change in sensation. I pout at him a little.

"Don't give me that girlie. We aren't done yet." He leans in close and kisses me gently, pulling me to him. I push him away.

"That's ok, two can play that game." My voice comes out raspy and hungry.

I slide off the counter and stand in front of him. He tries to distract me with kissing, placing his hands on both sides of my face. I carefully unbuckled his belt and pushed his pants down his legs. He pulls me to him, pressing his erection against my stomach.

He lowers his head to kiss me but I dodge him, dropping down in front of him. I run my tongue around the length of his dick before pushing my lips over the tip. He buries his hands in my hair and pulls it behind me to give him a better view as I expertly slid him in and out of mouth. He groans my name. I pull away from him and stand up in front of him.

His lips cover mine eagerly, his hand at the back of my neck. When I moan into his mouth he pulls away and turns me around to face the counter. His arm slips around my waist and he presses himself into me. I lean against the edge of the counter as he quickens his pace. His hand is between my shoulder blades, grasping and pulling my hair. I scream out his name as I tighten around him, exploding inside. He groans and pulls away. My knees are shaking and weak.

He leads me to the couch before he sits down, pulling me into his lap. I climb on top of him, guiding him inside of me before I grind my hips down on him. He moans before taking each one of my nipples into his mouth, one at a time. He bites and sucks at them, causing me to cum again.

Once I've recovered, he lays me down next to him and climbs between my knees. I hook one leg around his waist and pull him as far inside me as I can, arching my back into him. His intensity is almost unbearable and when I feel him start to climax, I let go.

"I'll never call you an old man again. You can totally keep up with me." I tell him through ragged breaths. He just smiles at me before getting up. We head to the bedroom, leaving our clothes where they are.


	15. Chapter 15

**MERRY CHRISTMAS (A little late). My wonderful loving sons bought me Seasons 1-4 on DVD of SOA so I got some inspiration. So thanks to them you guys get 7 brand new chapters. I also have several more planned so I will probably have more before the weekend is over. I have another week off of school so expect this story to be updated regularly. Also, if you're a fan of Walking Dead, check out my other two stories that I'll be updating over the next week. As always, R&R, Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Filip and I gradually fall into a routine of working, spending time together and him taking care of club business. Gemma wrangles me into helping with her annual fund-raiser. The day before the event, I head to the school to help her set up the tents and displays. Luanne and I are goofing around in the SAM CROW tent while Gemma's bellowing directions to the guys building the stage for the bands.

"I told your Uncle Otto about you and Filip ya know?" She giggles as she sets up a second table.

"Oh God. I'm sure he loved that." I roll my eyes and flip the table cloth over the first table.

"He wasn't too happy about it. I calmed him down. Told him how cute you two were, reminded him of when we first got together." She smiles at some distant memory.

Gemma marches over to us with a determined look in her eye.

"Jesus, ya think I asked them to donate a kidney or something'" She mutters.

We start getting out supplies and finishing up the details when a brunette woman steps up to the booth. I don't know April well but I sure as hell know her ex-husband. I try to remind myself this woman had nothing to do with Kyle's bullshit but it's still hard. She looks nervously at Luanne and I.

"Gemma, can I ask you something?" I look at Gemma.

"What?" she answers.

"Charlie's band is playing tomorrow night at the fireworks." She starts; her eyes slide to me. I used to babysit the kid, I know who he is. "He really wants his dad to come."

I just about leap over the table in front of me before Luanne grabs my arm and leads me away to cool off. Gemma finishes up her tense conversation. This woman has some balls. Each time she says something to my aunt, I want to race over and rip her head off. When April finally walks away, we go back to the booth. I don't ask her what was said. I'm not in the mood.

"Why don't you head to T-M for me? Check in on the day." She says, not making eye contact. I just nod before strolling to my car. I pick up my phone and text Filip.

_Hi Baby_

I hadn't heard from him all day, he was on some kind of club business. On the way to the garage, I keep hoping for my phone to beep but it doesn't. All I can do is think about Kyle and April. Kyle was a member for a long time; grew up with my brother and Jaxson. Then he was on a job with Opie and fled when the cops came. My brother did five years because of that dick head. He was banished from the town the moment the cuffs tightened on Op's wrists. I lost my brother that day. He hasn't been the same since.

I try to calm my nerves before I park the car. Even by the time I get up to the office, I've at least calmed down a bit. I head to the office and finish up some invoices for the few accounts we have on file. I'm busy working and didn't notice Gemma or some of the guys pull in. Kip steps into the doorway and fiddles with something in his hand.

"What's up Half-Sack?" I ask, more annoyed than I mean to sound.

"Gemma and Clay are in the garage and they don't look happy so I'm just gonna stick here for a minute." He explains and I laugh at him. He's terrified of Clay since he made some MILF comment about Gemma.

"Why don't you just go into the clubhouse? That's where everyone else hides when they argue." I point at a few of the other guys heading that way. His face flushes and he puts down the rag in his hand before heading off with them. That boy is special.

Gemma and Clay finish up their conversation and she steps into the office, pausing for a moment.

"It's fine Gemma, just got me a little flustered. No big deal." I dismiss it.

"You sure baby girl?" she asks.

"Yeah, just bad memories is all."

I'm distracted when my brother and dad pull up. Things have still been tense between my dad and I. We had only talked once since the night of the bar. Opie headed over my way after he jumped off the bike.

"Hey Op." I call to him, meeting him half-way. Dad huffs back into the clubhouse without a wave. I roll my eyes at him.

"You're gonna be at the fund-raiser tomorrow right?" He asks.

"Yeah, I'm working it now." I grin.

"Me too, gotta do the fireworks. Wanna watch it from the launch spot with Donna and me? The kids miss you." He shrugs.

"Yeah, that sounds good." I give him a half-smile that he returns brightly. It's been awhile since he smiled at me. Lately it's been a lot more lecturing than anything. My phone finally buzzes from my pocket.

_My angel, I won't be back tonight, still on business but I miss your eyes._

I smile before pounding out a text back.

_Be safe babe. I miss much more than your eyes old man._

I check in with Gemma before heading home to relax alone for the night.

* * *

"I'm gonna kill him." Gemma is pacing through the kids booth the next day. Bobby is late and the kids are getting a little impatient.

"It's ok. I'll get the girls from the high school to start on face paint." I put my hand on her arm and send her back to the chili booth. We get everything set up quickly and the kids start off with request for mermaids and animals. I see Bobby and Tig rushing across the festival on their way over. Gemma follows him over as he comes in to entertain the kids. Tig and I stand behind the tent, laughing at his goofy act.

"Baby girl, do me a favor?" Gemma whispers. I give her a quizzical glance.

"Run up to St. Thomas for me and get the rest of the kid kits they donated." She directs me, watching something over my shoulder.

I look over toward the school and see why she's asking me to go. Jaxson and Kyle are arguing by the entrance. Anger rushes through me. I nod and snatch my keys. I see Gemma motion to Tig from the corner of my eye and his footsteps fall in to place next to mine.

"So Baby Bree, what about this hot love affair you wanna have with me?" He asks with a grin.

"Filip would feed you your balls for that, in a nice marinade. Maybe even grilled if he's in a good mood." I shoot back, a little more aggressive than usual.

We walk past Jaxson and Kyle talking and I make eye contact with the bastard. I stop for a moment, fully intending on going over there. Tig puts his hand on my arm and tries to lead me away. Kyle is watching me instead of listening to whatever Jax is saying. Jax sees me there and pushes Kyle's arm. I keep walking with Tig, letting Jaxson deal with that scum.

I blast the radio in my car on the way to the hospital. My anger barely subsided when I pulled into the parking lot. Giving myself a moment to clear my head, I watch a guy I don't recognize checking out Tara's car. I stay in the car until he disappears into the hospital doors.

My curiosity peaks and I hurry to keep up with him; happy to have a distraction from my irritation. He takes a seat in the waiting room, closest to the main desk. I stop and ask for the kits while keeping an eye on him. Suddenly his face lights up and I follow his gaze.

Tara steps off the elevator removing a surgical mask. She looks like she's seen a ghost when she notices he's standing there. She slowly steps over to him, her mouth hanging open.

"Can we talk?" He asks her, she looks around nervous until she sees me standing there.

Then she looks between the two of us a few times, before they head into the private room. She stands in front of the window and looks back at me again. I lean against the counter, staring openly at the interaction. They talk for a few minutes and she looks angry. She crosses her arms over her chest. She usually only looks at Gemma and me like that.

The guy heads out, practically whistling and Tara watches him through the window. When he's in the elevator, she comes out. She's visibly upset. I turn away for a moment and try to ignore it. I know she's been getting close with Jax and if he saw that, he'd check on her. She's lucky I loved that man. I walk over to her; she's still staring at the elevator, her face pale.

"Tara, ya all right?" I try to sound cordial. She looks at me like she forgot I was there.

"Um, yeah, yeah. He's just. . . someone I knew in Chicago." I could tell from her hesitation, he was more than that.

"What'd he want? Come to sweep you off your feet?" I ask sarcastically, not meaning to. It's a habit with her.

"I don't know what he wants actually. You here to check on Able?" She asks.

"I'll look in on him before I head back but Gemma sent me here as an errand girl. The donations for the fundraiser." I explain, trying to be nice. Jax would be so proud. I take it one step further. "Um listen, that guy was checking out your car. You sure it's ok?"

She gives me an odd look and shakes her head to clear it.

"It will be. I'll go get the nurse for you." She says walking away.

* * *

When I get back to the festival, it's packed. The entire town has come out and everyone's having a great time. I grab Tig and Opie to unload the boxes for me and head back to Gemma's tent. The food smells amazing and everyone is busy. I get to work helping dish out food and laugh with the girls.

Unser stops by our booth for a minute to talk to Gemma. I watch as her gaze heads out to the crowd. Tara is making her way through the festival. She stops for a moment and stares at the Police Department booth. The creepy guy from the hospital is there and she's pale again.

I pull off my apron as she turns to walk away and hurry to catch up with her.

"Leaving so quick doc?" I ask

"Uh, yeah. It was a long day at the hospital." She speeds up and I easily fall in line next to her. She doesn't say anything else so I reach out and stop her.

"Hey, if you need help you can go to Jaxson." I tell her, unsure of where the words come from. She looks terrified and I feel for her.

"I'll keep that in mind." She says, fumbling with her keys. She walks away and I let her go this time.

Bobby and Tig stop in front of me.

"Seen Jax?" Bobby asks. I shake my head and look around. I see him with my brother and Kyle. This can't be good. I rush over to meet them and Bobby grabs my arm.

"Just stay back." Tig tries to calm me down. I follow them over to where the guys stand. Jaxson gives me a nod of the head to leave. Glaring at him, I walk toward Gemma. She's rushing over and she does not look happy. Opie heads off with Kyle just as she catches up with us. Jaxson notices the creep in the cop booth. The guy stops and stares at Jax, never taking his eyes off of him. We both stare at the older man.

"You tell Clay I'm pissed. He didn't show and now he's taking all my manpower." Gemma yells at her son.

"Who's the guy with the cops?" I hear him ask as he continues his staring contest.

"It's the ATF guy." My ears perk up but I keep my eyes on the cop.

"Guy was at the hospital last night, watching me with Able." He says. I panic. What did an ATF agent want with Tara and why was she so freaked out? I keep my mouth shut, not wanting to get Gemma riled up.

Jaxson and the boys head out. Tig gives me and Gemma a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving. I watch them go without a word and head back to work. The rest of the afternoon passes quietly. The guys don't return to the festival and I join my family under the fireworks.


	16. Chapter 16

I get a text from Filip the next day telling me he's on his way home. I'm dancing around my living room as I rush to get to work. I know he is gonna head there first. I take extra care getting dressed making sure I wear a pair of cute capri's and a tight TM tank top. My tattoos stand out in contrast.

Gemma laughs at me as I practically skip to the counter and get to work. The guys slowly trickle in and we're not too busy. A couple of hours pass and I see a white delivery truck pull in. Juice jumps out of the driver seat and a little red head steps out of the passenger side. Kip freezes to watch her. The two stare at each other before Clay grabs her arm, pulling her to the side. I can tell from the interaction they know each other. Half-Sack's face falls and he looks down. The pieces start to fall together. Gemma is watching from her office. When Half-Sack steps into the office, the door slams behind him.

The sound of an approaching bike catches my attention and Filip flies into the parking lot. I drop what I'm doing and jog out to the parking lot as he gets off his bike. Clay gets to him first and shakes his hand. I rush over and leap on him, much to the dismay of my uncle.

"Just cuz I didn't kill him yet, doesn't mean I won't." He gives us a gruff look as we kiss.

"Aye, it'd be worth it old man." Filip laughs as he puts me down. The guys have pretty much gotten used to us by now. It almost feels normal.

"Well before you get him killed, I'm gonna take him inside." I pout at my uncle's words.

* * *

Gemma storms out of the office a few minutes after Half-Sack. She leaves in her car without a word. He heads into the clubhouse to fix the toilet. I get back to work. I don't look up when the cars pull in but I hear a couple of the guys in the shop mumble. Several cars pull up, including our own David Hale. Half-Sack steps out of the clubhouse and stops when he sees the group. He turns and runs back inside. I go straight to the office.

The guys come out of the clubhouse as the police officers and what look to be feds get out of their cars. They exchange a few words and my mouth drops open as they slap cuffs on Clay. I go to open the door handle and stop. We stay out of club business; let the guys deal with it.

Filip comes into the garage after the cops pull out. Three of them stay at the gate. I step out of the office and into his arms.

"All right?" I ask.

"We will be." He reassures me. "You?"

I don't get to answer before Jaxson marches over

"I need you to close up and get outta here as soon as you can." He rubs my arm. "Come on Chibs, we gotta talk."

"I gotta finish up paperwork quick and then I'll head out." I reassure them.

Filip gives me a quick kiss before jogging off after Jaxson. Lowell helps me shut the place down and I go into the office for a few minutes.

I rush through my work and head home.

* * *

The next day when I get to the garage, most of the guys are there already. Filip meets me at the car when I pull in. My heart skips a beat. We haven't seen each other alone since he got back from his run. My body ached for him.

"Baby girl I fucking missed ya." He spins me around before setting me gently back down.

I push myself up on my toes and lean in for a kiss. He reaches down and grabs my legs to wrap them around him. Some of the other guys hoot and holler at the show he's putting on. It's easy to ignore them as I run my fingers through his hair. He breaks the kiss and holds me close.

The sight of Lowell dressed in ring gear catches my attention.

"What's goin on?" I ask.

"Trainin. Come on over." He tells me.

We walk over to the boxing ring and Lowell steps in with Half-Sack. Filip coaches him from the side as I talk with Bobby and Tig. Clay pulls up and yells at us for slacking off. Lowell rushes back to the garage and I follow.

I don't realize Jaxson is following me until I stop.

"I need a favor Baby Bree." He starts

"I ain't babysitting the slut." I tell him. "Besides, I don't want Half-Sack at my house all the time."

"Nah, I want you to swing by the hospital, check on Tara for me." He looks down at his feet.

"You sure you want me to? You know we don't get along that well." I protest.

"Yeah you. I need someone I can trust." He is serious, not trying to charm me into it.

"Fine but I'm gone if she's her usual bitchy self." He still doesn't look up at me. "What's going on? Is it that guy?"

"You seen him?" I nod. "It's her ex, he's stalkin her."

I shuffle my feet a little and pull out my keys. He smiles at me and gives me a quick hug before I leave. I blow a kiss to Filip before getting in my car.

I get to the hospital quick. Tara's car is in the parking lot. I rush through the doors. Tara's at the nurse's station. She sees me standing there and gives me an odd look. I nod toward the waiting room and she meets me there.

"You ok?" I ask her. "Jax asked me to make sure you were."

"Yeah, I'm fine. He told you?" She asks. I read the fear on her face.

"I ain't gonna say anything." I try to reassure her. "That's why he asked me to stop by. He knows I won't."

She turns away for a minute. We used to be pretty close; it's easy to forget when I'm mad at her. I look at my hands.

"Why'd ya come back Tara? I just need to know." I almost whisper it.

"I didn't come back for him, if that's what you're asking. This offer came up and it was right after all the crap with Joshua. It just felt like a good idea." She explains.

"And now?" I ask. She just shrugs her shoulders, not commenting. I don't like the silence.

"Just call him if you need something." I tell her before leaving again.

* * *

I rush home to get ready for the fights. As I step out of the bathroom from my shower, Filip is leaning against the counter in my kitchen. I jump a little at the sight of him, not expecting him to be there. He grins at me and pushes himself away from the counter behind him. I slowly drop the towel I have wrapped around me before he reaches me.

"We got some time." He whispers before leaning down and kissing me. I pull him into the bedroom and shut the door. We hadn't seen each other for a few days with everything going on.

"I thought there was some rule about no pussy before a fight?" I question him.

"I ain't steppin in a ring sweetheart. For a coach it's plenty of pussy before a fight." He tackles me against the bed and begins covering my neck and chest in rough, hungry kisses.

A thrill ripples through my body and I reach for the buttons on his shirt. He helps, hurrying to get it off. As I reach for his belt, he grabs me roughly, rolling me over on top of him as he lies down. I reach down and kiss him as he kicks his jeans off. There's no tenderness or patience, just pure need and adrenaline. I'm dizzy and breathless as he glides into me. I sit up on top of him, grinding and rolling my hips into him as he grips my thighs. I dig my nails into his chest leaving bright red scratches and he growls a little.

His hands slide up my thighs, slowing at my hips before reaching my breasts. I move faster when he pulls me toward him, taking each of my nipples between his lips for equal attention. His name comes out in a loud moan as I come undone on top of him, slamming into him one last time. I collapse against his chest and my body convulses. He holds me tight for a few seconds before rolling back over on top of me without pulling out.

I arch my back into the bed as he pushes my leg up as far as it will go, allowing him deeper access. He wastes no time, thrusting into me with a hurried and crazy rhythm. In no time, I'm shuddering in another orgasm, this time setting him off as well. He lets go of my leg and lies down on my bare chest, breathing heavily. I brush his hair out of his face lightly.

He looks up at me and I smile, satisfied. He rolls to the side, leaning over me for a gentle kiss. His hand rests lightly on my stomach, sending a wave of butterflies through it.

"We better get ready." I tell him when I break the kiss. He groans as I push him away from me. He doesn't move as he watches me get dressed.

"I'm not sure I can have you comin with me lookin like that. I gotta concentrate." He says as I slip on a loose black short skirt and a black halter top scooped low in the back. I pull my hair into a messy bun and sit on the edge of the bed to put on my tall boots.

"You don't want me wearing these?" I ask him and he watches me lace them up.

"Yer gonna kill me girlie. You know that?" He asks, sitting up to kiss me.

"I got one more surprise for you old man." I stand up and slowly slip my panties off from under my skirt. I tuck them in his pants pocket.

"Yer evil." He says, standing up from the bed.

"Punish me?" I tease him playfully.

He spins me around and lifts my skirt up. I press my ass against him and can tell he's already hard. He pushes me down on the bed in front of me and brings his hand across my ass cheek, leaving a slight stinging feeling. I instantly feel a pull in my stomach. He reaches up and unties the back of my top. He runs his hand lightly down my spine before I feel another slap. This time I moan.

He rubs his hand down the back of my thigh and back up the inside. I can already feel myself respond to his touch. He runs a finger over my wet slit and I sigh into the mattress, burying my face.

"Again?" He asks. I look over my shoulder with a smile.

"Please baby?" I ask him, wiggling my ass at him.

He pulls my skirt down to cover my ass again and steps away from me. I stand up and turn to face him, an angry look on my face and he laughs at me.

"We can't be late sweetheart." He tells me as he pulls his pants on. "Just remember, I'm old. I know how to tease too."

I glare at him and walk past him to the living room, his laughter follows me.


	17. Chapter 17

I spend the night attached to Filip's side unless he is at ringside. He keeps a protective hand on my ass all night. Several times when he's sure no one is looking, he slides his hand down between my legs and slips a finger inside me. The naughty game is taking a toll on both of us. I'm practically panting each time I feel his fingers.

When Kip wins his last fight to everyone's irritation, Filip slips his hand in mine and leads me out a side exit. Making sure no one is around, he quickly pushes his pants down and lifts me up to wrap my legs around him. His movements are rough and hungry as he pushes my skirt up around my waist and thrusts himself into me, pushing me against a wall. He drives himself into me hard and fast, I sink my teeth into his shoulder to keep myself from the loud orgasm building inside me. I feel him push against me again before emptying himself inside me.

I'm out of breath and sore when he finally sets me back down. He reaches into his pants pocket and hands me my white cotton panties from earlier. I slide them back on under my skirt.

"I don't think I can make it through the rest of the night, knowin you ain't wearin em love." He whispers in my ear. I push his dark hair away from his eye and give him a sweet but passionate kiss. He returns it just as lovingly. I wrap my arms around him and pull him close to me. When I don't think I can go another moment without a breath, I break the kiss. He leans his forehead against mine and I look up into his eyes.

"I don't know what you're doin to me Filip, but if we keep this up I'm gonna fall for you, then you'll be stuck with me." I tell him with another sweet kiss, keeping this one short.

"I'm already stuck with you. Yer mine." He puts his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers and pulls me back inside. I can't stop beaming the entire time.

* * *

**2 Weeks Later**

The club is tense, Filip is tense. We've barely had a moment alone outside of late nights. The day that Jax finally gets to hold Abel is a blessing. I hope it will help to ease the stress but it doesn't seem to. Gemma spends all day at the hospital, waiting for the word. I stay at TM and help run the garage, keep things up to date so we don't fall behind. It's a busy day and the added traffic from the club makes it difficult.

Around Mid-Day, we're asked to close up for club business. I spend the rest of the afternoon holed up in the office, trying to catch up on some paperwork. Most of the club is gathered in the garage. I don't notice when it's suddenly dark outside. Filip knocks on the door and comes in.

"What are ya still doin here?" He asks.

"Trying to make sure Gemma doesn't come back to a mess. I want her to stay at the hospital as much as she can." I explain.

"Yer sweet. How ya holdin up?" His face is concerned. I give him a tired smile.

"Tired baby. That's all. I need a night where we can just be together, no club drama. When you have a night off, you're in trouble." I stand up and cross over to him, wrapping my arms around him and sinking into his chest comfortably.

"Aye, I know the feeling Bree. I miss ya baby." He sighs, smoothing my hair down my back.

I lean up on my toes to give him a smooth kiss. He tightens his grip around me. A knock on the door pulls us out of it. Tig opens the door and looks down, realizing he interrupted something.

"Clay's ready. Sorry Bree." He ducks back out the door. I look out the window and notice Gemma pulling in.

"I'm gonna go with them to the hospital. Be safe baby." I whisper, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

I jump in the car with Gemma as we follow Jaxson to the hospital. He's excited by the time we get to Abel's room. His wide smile is a sight I haven't seen in years. Gemma, Tara and I watch as he talks gently to the tiny boy. A familiar smile plays over Tara's lips. The same loving smile I'd given Filip a million times. The kind that clearly said she felt something more for my brother.

Gemma nods her head and we step outta the room, giving the two some space. I watch through the window as the two women stand a short distance away from me, awkwardly.

"He looks so much like Jaxson." Tara says to no one in particular. A dark look crosses Gemma's face.

"He's beautiful." I say, staring at my aunt. The hatred is pouring out of her. She turns to look at me, catching the expression on my face. She turns away quickly, looking in on Jax and Abel. Tara notices the change in my expression too. She heads away from us, mumbling about rounds.

"What's up mama?" I ask her, not as kind as I normally am.

"She's bad news." Gemma says, crossing her arms over her chest and rubbing her arms.

"She saved Abel." I tell her. "I know what he was like when she left Gem. I know it was hard but they're different people now." I wasn't sure where this was coming from. I'd seen a change in Jaxson over the last few weeks. And after knowing more about what Tara dealt with in Chicago, how alone she was, I started to soften up. My feelings for Filip had given me a different perspective.

"We can't trust her. She's gonna break his heart again." She watches her son through the window.

"If he thinks she's worth the risk, nothing you can do is gonna stop him." I tell her.

"Is Filip worth the risk? Have you talked to your daddy at all since that night?" She turns to look at me, putting her classic defenses up. I watched her tear down the girls in the club with that expression. For some reason, I wasn't afraid of her.

"I made my choices and dealt with any consequences that have come up. I have no regrets." I reassure her before leaving her alone. I text Filip quickly, asking him for a ride back to my car. He picks me up at the front entrance, no questions asked.

When we pull up in the parking lot; his phone rings. He steps away from me, taking the call. He runs his hand through his hair and looks back at me.

"Stay here. Gemma's on her way. I want you to stay in the apartment please. I'll take you home when I get back." He puts his hand to my cheek.

"Of course baby, anything you need from me?" I agree, knowing his request has something to do with the tension in the club.

"No, no. Just stay here." Gemma flies into the parking lot and crosses over to us.

"Go on, I've got her. We'll stay here." Gemma reassures him.

* * *

The bar is spotless within an hour. I try to distract myself with cleaning and serving the guys as they trickle in. One of the crow eaters comes in, taking over for me.

"Gemma asked me to send you to her office." She explains. I give her a ghost of a smile and head off in that direction. The lights are on in the garage and I hear voices. I didn't realize the guys were back.

Gemma meets me in the office and closes the doors and blinds as we sit down.

"What's goin on ma?" I ask, all tension from the confrontation at the hospital have disappeared.

"Club stuff. We'll have some guests tomorrow, need to get this place all set up. We need the rooms made up, liquor, food & girls." She directs me.

"Sure. I'll get on it. Get LuAnn and the girls on the phone." I assure her. She nods.

"Filip wants you behind the bar tomorrow, safer that way. Everyone can keep an eye on you." She adds before I head back to the clubhouse.

I concentrate on making the necessary calls and plans. I send Kip to the closest open store and have him gather food to take to LuAnn's. She is busy cooking everything we talk about. I call a couple of club friends to get as much alcohol delivered as possible. After everything's set and I run out of distraction, I find my way to Jax's apartment and lay down in his bed for a short time.

My phone vibrates across the table a short time later.

"Yeah." I mumble into the mouthpiece.

"Where's your brother?" Donna's voice is angry, worried.

"Donna? What's goin on?" I ask out of confusion.

"He didn't come home. Is he with the club? With Filip or Jax?" She rambles on

"Donna, I don't know. I'll go find out. Stay put." I try to comfort her. "I'll call you back in 10 minutes."

"Call me when you know." She hangs up.

I sit up and stretch. The clock says 9:17am next to the bed. I pull one of Jaxson's sweatshirts over my clothes and head back out to the clubhouse. Dad and Opie are both there. The doors to church are shut but the lights are on.

"Opie, Donna is pissed. She just called." I tell him as I pour myself some coffee, ignoring the hardware on the bar.

I turn back around in time to see Filip step through the doors and into the main room. He closes it quickly behind him but not before I catch sight of blood. I close my eyes and shake my head. His hands and arms are covered in it.

"Where's Jackie boy?" He asks.

Clay steps outta the corner to whisper to him. Filip keeps his eye on me. The door bangs open again and Jax comes through, a bag in hand. Everyone starts talking at once. I take this as my cue to leave and head back to the apartment. I have four missed calls from Donna. I pick it up and text her quickly.

Donna, he's safe. Stay home and I'll send him there ASAP.


	18. Chapter 18

The clubhouse is eerily quiet as I sit in Jaxson's room. Too nervous to walk back out to the bar again, I start exploring the room a little. I find an envelope that lays propped open on his dresser. My curiosity gets the better of me and I poke around at what's inside, pictures of Uncle John are on top. I sit down on the floor and start laying them out around me. My entire childhood and family is laid out in front of me.

I pick up a picture of dad and John with the other first 9 with their bikes, staring down at the younger, almost unfamiliar faces. A soft knock on the door startles me and I stand up, picking up the pictures around me.

I open the door and Opie's there, his face crestfallen. He comes in and I close the door behind him. He falls into a nearby chair and hangs his head in his hands. I sit down on the floor next to him, placing my hand over one of his.

"I can't keep doing this. I can't live two different lives. This isn't me, lumberjack shit. It's not who I am." He says; his voice dead and emotionless. "She's gonna leave me. I know she will, but there's nothing I can do."

Donna must have confronted him. He had struggled with this conflict since the moment he came home. It was never easy for him to juggle the club and a normal life. Donna knew that the day she met him and now she wanted him to be something different. A part of me is pissed at her for asking but I understood her motives.

"She'll stay Op. She will. Just give her time to see that we need you guys as much as you need us. We're family. No matter what, she's one of us." I whisper to him. He needs a moment alone so I head back out front. The other charters are starting to trickle in.

I make myself busy in the back room, stocking the cooler and changing the taps. Kip is behind the bar for me right now. When I round the corner with my third bin of ice, a hand on my arm stops me mid-step.

"Where you goin sweet butt?" A familiar voice growls behind me. I set the ice bin down on the counter for Kip and whirl around to see Happy standing behind me. I throw my arms around his neck and pull him close.

"Where you been Happy? I missed you." I always had a special relationship with him. He was the first one to teach me how to shoot a gun at the range. I was his little sister in every way.

"I missed you too Bree, you bein good?" He raises an eyebrow at me. My eyes immediately flicker to Filip who just stepped back into the bar.

"Uh, about that." I start to tell him but he catches where my eyes went and the guilty look on my face.

"What? Chibs? That's the guy you're dad called me in for?" He says, his face growing serious and his eyes growing dark. "Oh I'm gonna enjoy this tattoo." He turns away, heading for Filip. I sprint to catch up with him, trying to get him to slow down the entire way. Filip notices the look on Hap's face and puts his guard up.

"Fucking Chibs." Happy claps him hard on the back. I catch up with the two of them and step between them.

"Happy, knock it off." I tell him, hitting him a few times in his hard chest.

"I'm just over here to congratulate this man. He almost killed Piney without touching him." His loud guffaw throws me off. His face melts into a huge grin and he laughs.

"ASSHOLE" I push him again for good measure before he wraps me in a tight embrace. Filip relaxes next to me and shakes the man's hand.

"Brave man like that deserves a drink." He pulls Filip toward the bar. Filip stops him and turns around to me.

"Come ere babe." Filip keeps an arm around me as the rest of the crew crowds in.

A few familiar faces join us near the bar and I sneak away to change before I jump behind the bar and serve drinks. I slip into Jax's room and throw on a pair of tight jeans and a black v-neck tight shirt that will give the guys enough to look at without looking like a crow eater or a sweet butt.

When I make it back out to the bar, I see that Filip didn't stick around. He whispers something to Happy before heading back behind closed doors. Happy gives me a half-grin and I dismiss the nagging feeling. Tara and Jax walk in together a short time later and head behind the doors that Filip has been behind for hours.

I busy myself with pulling beers for the growing mix of men and women coming and going. Filip gets lost in the crowd. Opie sits at the bar, looking down. I set a shot down in front of him and put my hand over his. He gives me a weak smile. Kip and I rush around behind the bar, trying to keep everyone happy. The girls are making rounds, flirting with whoever requests their presence.

"Hey Bree, can you get some more ice?" Kip asks, pouring another round for a group at the end of the bar. I rush back to the ice machine and start filling a bucket. As I walk back out to the bar, one of the Tacoma guys steps in front of me.

"Hey there sweetheart. What's your name?" He asks.

"Aubrey." I tell him, balancing the ice bucket on my hip.

"You someone's old lady?" He leans against the wall and one of his buddies joins the conversation.

"Not exactly. But I'm off the menu for the night boys. Gonna have to settle for one of the many fine girls that Clay brought in for you." I try to keep my rejection light, not wanting to start anything. Most of the guys know me and leave me be. These guys I don't recognize.

"Nah, no one told you how this works. If you ain't someone's old lady, you're free game sweet heart." His breath reeks of booze and I wonder how many he's had in the short time since they arrived.

"She's Piney's daughter." One of the crow eaters try to help me out. "Wouldn't wanna get on his bad side boys. Her big brother's back from Chino now too." She rolls her eyes at me as she turns to his friend, effectively distracting him. I move to step around the large man in front of me. Kip grabs the ice bucket from me and turns away.

"I don't care who her daddy is. Hell I'll be your daddy." The ugly man leers at me. Happy and Filip step out from around a corner, one on each side of me. Filip puts his arm around my shoulders.

"She's not available." He has no hint of civility in his voice. I turn to look at him and the dark expression that crosses his face is something I've never seen from him before.

"She said she wasn't someone's old lady." The man's eyes narrow.

"She was mistaken." My heart flutters at his words. I know he's just saying it to get this guy to back off, but I can't help but be hopeful. Emily Duncan takes that moment to step in and offer a distraction. She leads him off to the couch.

"Prospect, you wanna earn that top rocker you better keep my girl safe. She stays behind the bar." Filip shouts out to Kip.

"Thank you baby." I whisper in his ear as I let my tongue flick against it lightly.

"Happy's gonna hang out by the bar. I want him to keep an eye on you till I can get you alone." He growls. "Then you're in trouble."

"What did I do?" I feign innocence.

He presses his hand to my ass and slides his hand down to my thigh. I smile at him, pushing myself against his body. He groans a little and turns back to Kip.

"Never mind, She's takin a break." He tells Half-Sack, pulling me back to the dorm rooms.

He pulls me into one of the closest rooms and locks the door behind us. He kisses me roughly, wrapping his arms around him. I break the kiss and stare up at him. His eyes are dark and full of desire. I step away from him slightly and move to the bed. He kneels down in front of me, sliding my jeans off of me. Before he can distract me further, I put my hand under his chin pulling his gaze to meet mine.

"What's goin on behind those angel eyes of yours?" He whispers, sliding his hand up my bare thigh.

"I love you Filip." I let the words hang in the air, his hand freezes where it is and doesn't say anything in return at first. "I just wanted you to know that. Today when everything was going down and I didn't see you come back, I realized it. I realized I don't want to lose you in any sense."

"I ain't goin anywhere sweetheart. I'm all yours." He whispers, his hand continuing up my thigh. I lean back on my elbows, spreading my legs in front of him.

I practically melt under his touch. His lips graze against my inner thigh, his breath is hot and heavy. I pull my knee up, giving him full access to my wetness. He slides his finger along my slit and gently presses it inside me. I throw my head back and moan, enjoying the slow but sensual movements of his hand. He doesn't wait to tease me, standing up and pulling at his own belt. I lean back, watching him pull off his shirt, leaving his chest pale in the limited light.

He kneels on the bed between my legs, leaning over me gently. I reach up for him, giddy to have a moment alone with him. He kisses me deeply and passionately, leaving me breathless with butterflies flitting through my stomach. His fingertips lazily graze against my ribs, pulling my top up and over my head. I lie down on the bed, his body falling against my own.

I arch my back, pressing myself to him. I reach down and push his jeans down his legs. His erection presses against my leg. He pulls back, looking down at me. His fingertips push the hair outta my face and his kind eyes search for something in my face.

"I love you Aubrey." He whispers. My jaw drops open.

"You don't have to Filip. That's not why I said it to you." I start.

"I don't say a word I don't mean baby." He kisses a trail from my lips to my neck, sending violent shivers throughout my body.

I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into me further. He presses himself into me slowly until I'm completely wrapped around him. Each movement he makes weakens my knees. I moan his name into his mouth. He smiles at me as he quickens his pace. Each time he slams into me, my head spins. I fall apart underneath him. He pulls away from me and lies down next to me, looking pleased with his accomplishments. Before I can climb back on top of him, there's a knock at the door.

"No." I shake my head, kissing his neck.

"I gotta baby girl. Too much going on not to. That was just a preview. I'll come get you later. Go save Half-Sack." He mutters, sitting up and pulling up his pants. The disappointment must be obvious on my face because he laughs at me.

"I expect your full attention later." I stand up, getting dressed quickly to hide any trace evidence of our hookup.

We step back into the packed hallway. Happy laughs at us.

"We got church brother. Thought you should join us. Want me to tell Clay you're busy with the Princess of SAMCRO?" I balk at the nickname. Some of the guys started calling me that when I was younger and following Opie and Jax around like a lost puppy. I push him playfully. Nothing he says can kill my mood.


	19. Chapter 19

"I don't want anything that's too slutty, just enough that he'll get a kick out of them." I try to explain to Luann for the millionth time. I was starting to rethink this whole idea.

"Trust me sweetie, we'll make sure it's nice and classy but enough to keep him hard all day." She throws her head back in excited laughter.

I had a brilliant idea to get some sexy pictures taken for Filip. Luann was the perfect person considering she would do them for free and make sure they were tasteful, or at least I hoped she would.

"Where you thinking lingerie or full-nudity?" She asks, bluntly.

"Uh, I don't want these pictures ending up in Tig's spank bank if he ever gets a hold of them so nothing completely nude." I shudder at the thought of these pictures making it around the garage to Tig or Opie.

The door opens and a girl named Ima sticks her head in. I don't know her well but the guys say there's a reason the whore does porn.

"Luann, you may want to come out here. Some ATF lady is here." She whispers. Luann and I both scramble for the office door. A tall, manly looking woman makes her way toward us.

"The porn queen and the princess of SAMCRO." She shakes her head at us both, putting her hands on her hips.

"Listen, everyone's HIV cards are filed, permits are up to date. What does my shit got to do with ATF?" Luann asks.

An agent opens a box in front of us full of bags and pills. Two agents move behind us as the lead bitch gives the word to arrest us both. I feel the cuffs before I realize what's happening. Luann gives me a look filled with fear.

* * *

The ride to the station is quiet; they put us in separate cars. Luann is riding with the head agent. One of the officers let us know her name was Stahl. I stare out the window, watching the town whip past us. We're led into the police station to the surprise of both Hale and Unser apparently.

"What's going on here?" I hear Wayne ask. I don't hear the response as we're lead to separate rooms and I'm pushed down into the chair. The agent unlocks my left hand, hooking the free cuff to the chair instead.

The wait for an officer seems to take forever. Each moment that passes worries me less. They'd be in here if they actually had anything on me. I keep telling myself that Unser will call Clay and the guys will take care of this. I don't worry about Luann saying anything. She's old school.

David Hale finally saunters in. I sit back in the chair and laugh a little.

"Something funny?" He asks.

"Just thought I ranked higher than some security officer, cop wanna-be for questioning." I smirk. Hale and I have never gotten along.

"I asked to talk to you." He says, lowering himself into a chair across from me.

"I don't have anything to tell you." I warn him.

"Never thought you'd end up one of them. I seriously thought you'd go off to music school or something." He muses.

"You don't know anything about me David. This is my home. My family is here." I dismiss his tactics. "Great effort though. Get that from a Law & Order episode?"

"Heard you're dating Filip now."

"And?"

"Gotta be tough, your dad happy about that?" He asks. I ignore his question. "Maybe you should re-think that. Get out while you still can."

"David, your daddy and brother own half the town. You haven't had a hard day in your life. But there is one thing that we both have in common. You can't escape Charming any more than I can." I look down at my feet and listen to him leave, slamming the door behind him.

Moments later Stahl walks in. Her cocky smile doesn't bother me. She sits down in the chair that Hale just left.

"Princess of SAMCRO." She mutters.

"That's an unofficial title." I tell her, holding her gaze.

"Piney Winston's daughter, Opie Winston's baby sister and now Filip Telford's old lady. Those title's more accurate?" She asks. "You grew up surrounded by these guys."

"Yeah, I could cry to you about my mother who walked out or my drunk daddy but I don't think this is a therapy session so why don't you just ask whatever it was you wanted to ask me or you can let me go." I don't miss a beat. My dad drilled into my head what not to say from an early age.

"You have no qualms about being with a married man? A man twice your age with a grown daughter?" She questions, leaning over the table.

"Again, my daddy issues aren't why you decided I needed to come here with Luann." I keep my anger under control. Of course, I knew about Fiona and Kerianne but that wasn't a conversation Filip and I had yet.

"We have that little Cherry in custody too. Maybe we'll have better luck getting her to open up." She stands to leave.

"Do I get a phone call? Or are you gonna let me go?" I ask.

"We're just waiting for the search of Luann's studio to be finished. Keeping you here until we know who those drugs belonged too." She winks at me before another officer comes in to take me down to a holding cell. Cherry and Luann are already in there. They put me in a separate cell and the guards leave us alone.

Cherry immediately opens her mouth to say something.

"Shut it Cherry. You just sit down and shut up." I warn her.

"You ok sweetie?" Luann asks, her voice fully of motherly concern.

"Just fine Aunt Luann. You?"

"Good baby. Good." She reassures me. I lie down on the cot and look at the ceiling for a long time.

The quiet of the cells is taking it's toll. Several times Cherry starts to ramble nervously about Kip and extraditions. Luann tries to calm her down without success.

"I swear to God Cherry, if you don't shut the fuck up, I will pull a Gemma on your ass. This time I'll break your fucking jaw and not your nose." I growl through gritted teeth. It works; she sits down and sighs deeply.

* * *

Night falls and I start to pace in my cell. The halls have quieted down and most everyone has left. I stop and lean against the cool brick, irritated at being held. Sirens from outside make me jump. I lean against the bars, trying to get a good view out the high window. Moments later the outside cell door clicks, Jaxson sneaks in.

"Oh Thank God. What's going on?" I ask; he puts one hand on mine and the other on one of the bars to Luann's cage, looking at both of us.

"The Feds are trying to use RICO. They're gonna press Otto for information. They're just holding you for fun I think, maybe to get to your dad or brother. Either way, Rosen's getting you out tomorrow Bree." He explains.

"Something's going on; they're letting me see Otto tomorrow." Luann whispers.

"You gotta get the RICO message to him. Tell him to give them nothing, no matter how small or old." He explains. She nods and agrees. From her cell, Cherry starts freaking out, begging him to take her with him. When she shouts out that she's gonna rat, his face burns red and unlocks her cell.

"Jaxson, be careful. Tell my dad and Opie not to do anything stupid." I ask before he nods and leaves with the dumb bitch.


	20. Chapter 20

Rosen gets me released the next day after they take Luann to see Otto. I'm exhausted and frustrated as I walk outside in the light. Unser is there to pick me up. We ride to the clubhouse in silence. I walk through the doors and everyone is there. The room is tense and angry.

"Oh Thank God." My dad says; his face full of relief. Happy picks me up and spins me around, growling at me.

"Morning guys." I call out when I get my breath back. Filip pulls me to his side, keeping a protective arm around me as everyone says good bye to Happy and the other guys.

"You keep my little princess safe Chibs. I've got a spot all picked out for your tattoo if something happens to her." Happy pats Filip on the shoulder before leaving.

"He seems like a nice fellow." Unser comments from his corner. Clay spits his whiskey across the bar and we're all silent.

"What were they asking about?" Clay sits me down next to my dad. I go over my conversation with Hale and Stahl. Dad and Clay look proud.

"That's my girl. Now we just gotta wait for word from Otto and Luann." Clay says, taking a shot.

"I'm gonna take her home." Filip tells Clay. "She needs some sleep."

Before I leave, my dad pulls me into a quick hug. We haven't had a moment to talk since the incident at the bar.

"I'll stop by later to check in on you." He whispers in my ear.

"Filip will be there." I tell him, pulling back to watch his expression.

"I know."

"See you later." I lean up and give him a kiss on the cheek before following Filip out the door.

* * *

I'm not surprised my car is in my drive way when I get home. I figure one of the prospects took care of it for me. Filip unlocks the door and leads me into my bedroom.

"Bed or bath?" He asks.

"Mmmmm bath, definitely." My muscles ache from the tension and jail bunk.

Filip turns and heads into the bathroom. I kick off my shoes and put my things on my bed before following him. The steam hits me as soon as I open the door. He found my bubble bath and filled the tub. I carefully peel my clothes off and step into the stinging hot water, lowering myself carefully.

I lean back against the tub and he shuts the water off. My eyes close as the hot water soothes away all traces of the night. Filip hangs his kutte up on the door handle and sits down on the floor next to me. I put my hand over his on the edge of the tub.

"Y'all right baby?" His raspy voice was full of exhaustion, relief and fear all in the same pained tone.

"Yeah. It was a long night but they didn't want anything to do with me. She's just trying to see who she can intimidate." I rub my hand along his arm.

"But bringin up Kerianne and Fiona to ya. That's just a low blow." He leans his head against the tiled wall.

"She had to try. I know your past Filip; if I was worried about it you would know." I tell him.

His phone rings and we both groan loudly. He steps out of the room to take the call. My exhaustion gets the better of me and I drain the water from the tub before standing up to rinse the bubbles off of my body. When I'm finished, I pad out to my bedroom. Filip is still on the phone. I don't stop to listen to his conversation. Instead, I crawl under the covers of my bed and quickly fall asleep. My dreams are laced with thoughts of the mysterious Fiona and Filip.

* * *

I sleep soundly through the night, missing the fact that Filip didn't stay with me. I assume he's on club business. Not able to stand sitting at the house alone, I head straight to the garage. When I pull up, there's a car I don't recognize in front of the shop door.

When I get to the office, I see a woman I never hoped to see again. My jaw flies open.

"Hi Bree." My mother greets me. Gemma is distracted with Jaxson's approaching bike, staring past me.

I leave the office without a word, my blood boiling. Juice hands me some paperwork and I bury myself in orders until the miserable bitch leaves again. Gemma avoids me and heads into the office, locking the door. Something is going on and it makes me sick to my stomach. Something tells me I don't want to know why my mother's back in town.

Everyone avoids me for the day, only speaking to me when necessary. I figure it's because of my bad mood. I enjoy the peace while I distract myself with work. I don't hear Jax's footsteps until he's right in front of me.

"Bree, got some good news. Little man is coming home tomorrow." The grin on his face is contagious.

"That's great news Jaxson." I put my hand on his arm. He notices that the excitement doesn't reach my eyes.

"I got something else. The reason your ma was here earlier. You gotta hear this, better from me." He looks down. "ATF picked up Opie, Donna and the kids; took them to some secure facility. Bobby was arrested. Mary got a call to pick up the kids."

"Why didn't they call me?" I ask, anger flaring up inside me at all the new information.

"You were in jail." He reminds me.

"Still, calling Mary? That doesn't sound like Op." Jaxson looks down at his hands. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I think ATF is trying to make your brother look like a rat." He explains.

"No fucking way. This club is his life. He chose it over Donna yesterday." I fill him in on the drama between my brother and his wife.

"Don't worry, we'll get through this together. Just stay close to home and the garage, stay at Filip's if you have to." He warns me before heading back to the clubhouse.

"Wait Jax." I call out, jogging over to catch up with him. "I know it's not the best timing but I need a favor."

"What's that?" He asks; distractedly.

"Give Filip a night off. I need sometime with him. We barely see each other and with everything that's gone on lately, I need him. "I plead with him.

"He's yours. I'll let Clay know that he only gets a call if absolutely necessary." He gives me a quick hug and turns away.


	21. Chapter 21

**This chapter is pure smut from beginning to end for all you beautiful freaks out there. Enjoy it, it's hot and very very very much deserving of a M rating. :)**

* * *

**Filip's POV**

Exhaustion threatens to take over as I ride to Aubrey's house. Jax told me we were good for tonight and I should get home to my girl. I didn't argue. The house is dark when I pull into the driveway and park the bike. When I open the door, Bree stands in front of me. Her beautiful hair hangs loose down her back. She's dressed in one of my white dress shirts, unbuttoned to the last three with nothing underneath. When she leans forward, her tits press hard against the fabric of the shirt and I can see her nipples clearly from where I stand. She's wearing my favorite black skirt with black lace stockings and garters.

"Christ Aubrey." I sigh, running my hand through my hair.

"I thought I'd dress up for you." She pouts and I want to bite her lip. Her eyes automatically flicker to my growing cock. "I will go put my sweatpants on if you don't like it."

Before she can turn away from me, I reach out and pull her into my body hard. My hand slides to her ass and I pull the skirt up to reveal her smooth firm skin. She whimpers as I push myself against her. She pushes my shirt above my head and takes one of my nipples into her mouth, biting it slightly. The mix of pain and pleasure is too much. I pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder as she playfully protests. We make our way into her room and I throw her onto the bed. She lays there her legs spread enough to give me a view of her already wet pussy; her skirt riding high on her hips.

I quickly undo my belt and move to the top of the bed. I take each of her wrists in my hand and wrap the belt around them tight enough to keep them still. She wiggles against the bed, sighing restlessly.

"You're mine for the night. Get used to that." I nod toward her bound wrists, a flicker of pure need crosses her face.

I stand up next to the bed, sliding my jeans down my legs and kicking them off. The white shirt she's wearing slips to the side, exposing one of her perfect tits. She watches me with intense eyes, begging me silently. I climb into bed next to her and she turns to face me, her arms still secured above her head. I run a finger down the middle of her chest, stopping to undo the remaining buttons on her shirt. The material falls to the side.

She wraps her leg around mine, pulling me toward her. I push her roughly to her back, leaning over her. Without warning, I bury two fingers deep inside her. She lets out a surprised moan and grinds against my hand. It doesn't take long before I feel her come undone in my hand. She throws her head back in her orgasm, arching her back toward me. She struggles against the belt, trying to get her hands on me.

Barely able to hold on myself, I lie down on my back and pull her so that she's raised above me with her hands still tied to the headboard. I push her legs open and guide my cock into her soaking wet pussy. She expertly bounces on top of me, her large tits bouncing in rhythm. I feel her start to tighten around me and I pull her hips down hard on me, burying myself inside her.

"Cum for me Bree. I wanna feel yer pussy explode." I coax her.

When she finally lets go the second time, she arches back, allowing me to bury myself deeper inside of her. Her juices cover me as she shudders against my hard cock. I reach up and loosen the belt, allowing her arms to fall next to her and she collapses on my chest. I roll her over to her back and kneel between her legs, looking down at her. I run my hand along her thigh, watching as her breathing returns to normal. I press my thumb against her clit and massage it in a tight circle. Her hips buck against me and I can't handle it anymore, lowering myself until the tip of dick is pushing against her opening. She writhes on the bed, trying to pull me into her. Instead I lower my head and take one of her hard pink nipples into my mouth, biting it.

She pulls my hair and I let go for a moment, smiling at her.

"What do you want Bree? Tell me girl." I whisper, moving my dick against her wet slit without entering her.

"I want you Filip." She moans, gripping the sheets on her bed.

"Not good enough." I pause, staring at her.

"I want you to fuck me until my pussy hurts." She pushes herself up on her elbows, her eyes an intense green. "I want to feel you cum all over my pussy. Make it hurt and make it messy."

I can't take the flow of nasty words coming from her sweet lips. I push myself inside of her, covering her with my body. She wraps her legs around my waist opening her tight pussy to me. I put my hand on the back of her knee, pushing it as high as I can, grinding myself deep inside her. Her eyes fly open and she cries out in pleasure.

Her nails rake painfully across my shoulders as I quicken my pace, slamming into her hard and quick. A low guttural growl escapes her lips when I feel her cum again. The orgasm is so intense, it pushes me over the edge and I crash into her again, exploding inside of her.

* * *

**Aubrey's POV**

I lay under Filip, my knees weak and twitching from the intensity. He is soaked in sweat and something about him in that moment gets me hot all over again. I push him off of me and he lies down on his back; his arm draped lazily above his head.

I stand up off the bed without fixing my hair or clothes and head to the kitchen for some ice water. He watches me walk away. I take my time sipping the cool liquid and within minutes he comes searching for me completely naked. His muscular form fills my kitchen doorway.

"Girl that mouth of yours is too much for me." He mutters, running his hand through his sweat drenched hair. I walk over to stand right in front of him.

"You don't like my mouth?" I ask him playfully. He leans down, giving me a deep hungry kiss.

"Didn't say that." He mumbled, leaning in for another kiss. This time I back up.

"You just can't handle it?" I stare at him from under heavy lids. "You can't handle this?" I take a piece of ice into my mouth and crush it. Pressing the ice chips together against my tongue, I lower myself to my knees in front of him.

"What are ya doing love?" His hand tangles itself in my hair; anticipating my next move.

Without answering him, I take him into my mouth, pressing the crushed ice against the length of his cock. He moans loudly and grabs my head with both hands. I allow the cold water from the melting ice to fill my mouth. My mouth takes in every inch of him before I pull him back out. From my knees I look up at him.

"Sitting down there in that school girl outfit with that fuck me look is gonna get ya in trouble." He murmurs as I gently stroke the length of his extremely hard cock.

I spread my legs slightly, pulling my skirt farther up my thigh to give him a view. He groans at the sight. I run my hand down my stomach and between my legs. I keep my eyes on him as I tease myself, slowly rubbing my clit.

He watches intently, his eyes dancing with pure excitement as I slip one finger and then another inside. I start to move, slowly at first when the feeling starts to build inside me. I keep my hand working as I greedily devour his cock, slowly moving him in and out of my mouth. He buries his hands deep in my hair when I moan against him while sucking. I feel him twitch and a moment or two later, he's emptying himself down my throat. I keep him inside my mouth, swallowing each and every drop as I keep sucking him. He pulls away from me, an audible pop sounds out when he pulls his still hard cock out of my mouth.

I lean back, letting my shirt fall open for him while I keep playing with myself. His orgasm and the sight of his pleasure is enough to get me close to my own orgasm. I pull my hands away and stand up. He takes my fingers into his mouth, one at a time, tasting me on them. Unable to keep my composure, I turn away from him, pulling my skirt up over my ass. He understands exactly what I need as he crashes into me from behind. I grip the edge of the counter as he fucks me until my knees buckle. I scream his name and he sinks his teeth into my shoulder, exploding inside me at the same time.

"I love you baby." He whispers in my ear as he breaks the contact between us.

I keep hold of the counter; afraid I am going to fall over. He notices my weak knees and lifts me up, carrying me to the bedroom. I slowly peel off my clothes and we lay down together. He pulls me close and holds me next to him. I listen as his breath evens out and realize he's asleep. I cuddle into him and fall asleep within moments.


	22. Chapter 22

**MORE CHAPTERS! YAY! We're gonna see things start to kind of spin topsy turvy from here on it. Just like it does in the show. I have reasons for my insanity, I promise. There's going to be a point where you're like what the hell is she doing? I promise, stay with it and you'll see what I'm doing. :) This chapter we see a little more smut. I'm doing it for good measure, there's not gonna be a whole lot of opportunities coming up. Hope you enjoy. Please leave reviews, tells me I'm going the right direction with the story. **

**To those who are following this one loyally and commenting regularly. . . THANKS! Special thanks to HGRHfan35. Hopefully you like these next chapters. **

* * *

The sound of someone banging on my front door the next morning stirs me awake. Filip is passed out next to me, oblivious to the noise. I can tell it's early as I pad through the living room, pulling a long night shirt on. Whoever it is doesn't stop.

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!" I yell as I swing the door open. My mother stands in the doorway, her face a bright red. "Nope, never mind its Satan herself." I mutter as I try to close the door. She pushes it open and marches in behind me. I walk to the kitchen to start coffee.

"What is your brother into now? I had to pick up the kids at some secure facility earlier this morning. What the hell happened?" She demands. The yelling must have woken Filip because he comes out from the bedroom, dressed in only a pair of sweatpants.

"Good Morning Mary." He greets the monster in my living room. "All right love?" He asks, kissing the side of my head. I nod in response.

Mary stands, mouth wide open, staring at our interaction.

"I have no clue what's going on with Op, Mary. But whatever it is, his family will handle it. You can run back home to your dogs." I wave my hand at her dismissively.

"My son is in some kind of trouble, your whoring yourself out the club and you expect me to be ok with this. I'm your mother-" she starts.

"No. My mother's dead. She died when she walked out on me." I narrow my eyes at her.

"You were old enough-" She starts again.

"Fuck that, I was 15. You took my brother away from me and left me to clean up your mess. Do you understand what Piney was like when you left?" I step toward her, my voice rising. Filip places a hand over mine, hoping to defuse the situation. "You have no right to come here now and demand answers or judge me. You don't even know me. We don't need you. You're dead to me."

She stares at me shocked. Her mouth opens a few times until she closes it finally in defeat. Her eyes dance between Filip's worried face and my own fury.

"You don't even know the full-story. I left cuz I had to. If you were smart you would do the same damn thing." She whispers.

"Leave, before I call the police. Wouldn't want to have you associated with such criminals and whores in the police report. You might ruin that spotless reputation you pride yourself on." I try to control my anger.

"Fine but this isn't over. I'm going to talk to your father about this." She waves her hand at us.

When she leaves, I turn back to Filip. Struggling to gain my composure, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his bare chest.

"Want me to call yer da?" He asks, kissing the top of my head.

"No, I'll get ready and head to TM. Gotta find out what's goin on with Op anyway. I'll talk to Gemma." I reassure him. "Take a shower with me?" He breaks out in a devilish grin that makes his eyes dance behind his dark hair. He leads me into the bathroom and closes the door behind us.

* * *

My phone rings when I pull into the parking lot of TM. Opie's name flashes across the screen.

"Opie?" I answer, walking away from Filip quickly.

"Yeah, I'm ok. We're on our way home now, can you come hang out with Donna while I run to the clubhouse?" he asks, no hint of panic or worry in his voice. I take this as a good sign.

"Yeah, let me get a ride over. I came into the garage with Filip." I tell him before hanging up.

Jaxson makes his way across the parking lot toward us. Filip leans against his bike.

"Opie just called, he's on his way home. Think it would be ok if I played hooky today? He wants me to hang out with Donna." I fill them in.

"Yeah, I'll run you over there and ride with him back here." Jaxson offers. I reach up and pull Filip in for a passionate kiss, not breaking it until Jax clears his throat.

"I'll see ya later love." Filip pats me on the ass before I climb on Jax's bike with him.

Jax maneuvers his bike expertly to my brother's house. I notice the house is dark but his truck is in the driveway. Thankfully there is no sign of the Wicked Bitch of the East. Donna's in the kitchen making coffee when I get inside. I rush over to her and give her a hug.

"Everything ok?" I ask, pulling away and looking at her face. She smiles the most sincere smile I've seen since Opie came home.

"We're good. You? Heard you had a surprise from your mother." She must have called Mary before I got here.

"That woman hasn't been any kind of mother for many years." I shake my head and we sit down at the table. Moments later, Opie and Jax come in the kitchen to let us know they are leaving. My brother gives me a quick kiss on the top of my head.

"Be safe. Jaxson, keep him in one piece hu?" I tease.

"Will do Baby Bree." I roll my eyes at him and settle into casual conversation with Donna. While she's describing the interrogation with Stahl and her conversation with Mary, I notice she's more relaxed than usual.

"How are you Donna?" I ask after she's finished with her story. "I know that none of this has been easy on you."

"I'm not abandoning my kids or their father. I love Opie and I knew what I was getting into when I married him. My fear of losing him again, of going through all of that again. It got to me." She stares down at her coffee.

"It scares me too." I admit.

"So tell me about you and Filip. We haven't had a chance to have girl talk." She smiles at me and I give her some of the details. We catch up for a couple of hours; it feels nice to have my sister back.

"Able comes home tomorrow." I tell her. "Gemma's throwing a party for him, as usual. Please come."

"Wouldn't miss it." She smiles again. Her phone rings and she grimaces. "Mary is going to bring the kids home from school soon. You stayin?"

"I would love to see Kenny and Ellie but I know that it's going to be a fight." After filling her in on the fight this morning, she understands it's not a good idea. I text Filip for a ride and he's there within minutes. Donna walks me out and I hug my sister in law tightly before getting on the back of his bike.

"You treat her good Filip or Opie will be the least of your worries." She winks at him.

"Aye, I think I'm more afraid of ya than him and the old man combined." He assures her with a cocky grin. We take off just as Mary's car pulls in front of the house. She watches us leave with a scowl.

When we stop at a light, he looks at me over his shoulder.

"Where to love?" He shouts over the engine.

"Caracara please." I laugh at his expression.

"Trying a new career?" He raises his eyebrow and gives me a sexy grin.

In response, I blatantly reach between his legs and massage his dick through his jeans. I feel it grow hard in my hand and grind against him as we take off again. He pulls into his parking lot a mile from the studio. I jump off of the bike and wait for him to do the same before we rush inside his apartment.

As soon as the door is closed, he's peeling my clothes from my body. There's no long drawn out kisses or touches, just pure need. I pull him to the couch and push him down. He groans as I undo his belt and slide his pants down. He's already rock hard and impatient. He grabs my hand, pulling me down on top of him and pushes himself into me. His hands settle on my hips as I roll them expertly over his dick.

I hold on to the back of the couch as he pumps into me hard and fast. His mouth covers each of my nipples in turn, sucking and biting them. Before he pushes me over the edge, he pulls out of me and turns me over so that I'm lying down on the couch. He growls as he positions himself between my legs. As soon as he enters me again, I fall apart. My orgasm is violent and loud, sending my body into shudders as he continues his intense pace. I raise my hips up to meet him with every thrust, feeling him reach his breaking point. He slams into me one last time, exploding inside of me. His body collapses on top of me.

"You got that excited at the thought of me doing porn?" I ask, teasingly.

"No, I'm always like this around ya. Jeysus Christ baby. Yer gonna send me to an early grave." He pushes himself off of me and feels around the floor for his jeans. Reaching into the pocket, he pulls out a cigarette and lights it before sitting back on the couch. I rest my legs on his lap.

"Remember that first night? When I threw myself at you like a drunk croweater?" I laugh at the memory.

"I wanted to fuck ya everywhere and anywhere I could that night." He absently rubs my legs.

"We could still try that ya know?" I sit up and bring my lips to his ear, biting it gently. He growls at me and pulls me into his lap. "Just not right now. I have an appointment with Luann, you need to get dressed."

I jump up off his lap before he can protest and look around for my discarded clothing. He mumbles something about prick-tease as he pulls his clothing on. I laugh as he adjusts his hard-on.

"Again?" I tease him. He pulls his shirt on and takes another drag of his cigarette. Everything about him makes me want to blow off Luann but I know I can't.


	23. Chapter 23

"It's about fucking time." Luann calls out when we walk in. "What's he doin here?"

"Just dropping me off Auntie. Don't worry, our secret will be safe." I wink at her.

"I don't wanna know. Take care of my girl." He presses a kiss to my forehead before leaving. His shoulders shaking in laughter as he rounds the corner and the door closes behind him.

Luann runs around, working whatever magic she has planned. After about a million shots and four hours, she finally calls it quits. We clean up and she gives me a ride home. Filip's bike is there when she drops me off. I walk in and Filip is lounging on the couch, watching some old movie.

"Comfy?" I laugh as I walk to the kitchen and get some water.

"Are ya wearin glitter?" He looks me over, noticing the heavy makeup and effects Luann piled on.

"Maybe. Nosy much?" I tease, moving to the bedroom to get in my pajamas. "How did it go with my brother?"

"Uh, He made his peace with Clay. Said he wanted to be all in." Filip puts his hands on his hips and sighs, something's on his mind.

"We can't keep shit from each other. If this is what we want, we gotta talk. I ain't ending up like Gemma and Clay or Op and Donna." I stop what I'm doing, turning my full attention to him.

"I don't think Clay or Tig believe Opie." He says, running his hand over his beard and looking at me.

"You believe him?" I ask tentatively.

"Yeah, I do. Opie wouldn't rat." His voice was sincere, so were his eyes.

"That's all that matters to me. Jax and Opie will convince Clay. Besides, if he brought that to the table, there's no way it would pass." I dismiss his worries and turn back to my closet.

"Aye." Was his only response.

I quickly change into SAMCRO sweat pants that I stole from Opie and a black tank top. I walk back out of the closet and reach out to him, pulling him over to the bed. He sits on the edge and I kneel behind him. My hands roam all over his back, stopping on his shoulder blade to knead away the tension. He sighs and I feel his body start to unwind. He hangs his head low in front of him as I continue massaging his back for some time.

Eventually he turns toward me and grabs my hand in his. I reach up and run my fingers through his shiny black hair, pushing it off of his forehead. He closes his eyes for a moment at the contact.

"Listen sweetheart, the club ain't good right now. Bobby locked up, this shit with yer brother, it's just a bad time." He starts; not sure where he's taking this.

"Ok so we get through it with our family, like always." I tell him, putting my hand on his cheek.

"I know, I just need ya ta know what yer getting inta. I can't have you jumpin inta this and gettin hurt." He explains.

"I've been in this since the day I was conceived. There's nothing that I'm not already aware of. We should just forget about it tonight. Let's watch a movie in bed and lock the doors. Just us." I suggest, pulling him to his feet.

"So no sex?" his face falls and I laugh at him.

"Bite your tongue." I lean in for a kiss, my tongue fighting against his until I take his tongue between my teeth and gently bite it. "Better yet, let me."

"That was corny." He laughs, grabbing my face and pulling me in for another kiss.

* * *

Gemma is blowing up my phone early the next morning, demanding I help her decorate and cook all day. Filip laughs at me as I grumble all the way to the bathroom to get ready. When she rings the doorbell, I'm still getting ready so he opens it to her. She flies in and a mini-tornado is suddenly rushing around my house, rushing me to get going.

"Becoming a granny has made you so much more of a pain in the ass." I tell her as I pull my shoes on.

"Watch it. Filip kiss her and tell her you love her and will see her tonight and if you're not there, your ass is mine." She is practically dragging me through the living room. I stop in front of him. He leans down and gives me a sweet kiss mixed with a smile.

"I love ya and I'll see ya tonight or my arse is hers." He repeats and winks at me. I laugh at him as I follow the bouncing energy to the car.

"Go make sure Able's room is all set." Gemma directs me. She starts hanging streamers and balloons in the living room. Moments later I hear the door open and close again.

"Where you been?" I hear Gemma's voice from the living room. I don't hear a response right away so I take a step down the hall. The sound of Wendy's voice stops me in my tracks.

"I know what you're doing." Her voice is quiet. "With me and Tara."

I hold my breath, waiting to hear what she's talking about.

"What am I doing?" Gemma asks, her voice says she is automatically on the defense.

"Playing us against each other, using me to get her outta Jax's life. 'Do I want my family back? Do I still love him?' It was all about getting her out of the picture." The anger wells up in me. I continue to listen, fighting the urge to run out there and demand answers.

"Does it matter? I meant what I said. What do you care what my motives are?" Gemma counters; lowering her voice. "We both get what we want."

"Look, I was ok with you slippin me enough crank to kill a horse. I deserved it for what I did to Abel. But I'm not the same person I was a few months ago. I can't do this. You're playing with our lives."

I listen to Gemma cut her down, my breath caught in my throat. Wendy turns and walks out. I wait a few minutes and then walk out in the living room.

"Hey Gem, mind if I use the car quick? I wanna run and get some of those disinfecting wipes to wipe off the changing table and stuff. Plus I'll get some more balloons." I try to keep my voice even. "Anything else we need?"

"Sure sweetheart, I'll give you a quick list." She hurries to write down a few things before handing me her keys and some cash.

I step outside and let out a deep sigh. Not sure if it's the right thing or not, I jump in the car and head over to St. Thomas. I find Tara in the NICU, filling out some charts over the cribs. I knock on the window to get her attention. She gives me a strange look and glances over her shoulder. I roll my eyes at her and she steps out into the hall.

"Got somewhere we can talk?" I ask.

"Uh, sure. Let's go use one of the consultation rooms." She leads the way, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. We sit down at a round table and I fidget nervously.

"So maybe I'm stupid and wrong for coming down here and I should probably stay out of it but I need to know something before we talk." I watch as the confusion settles on her face. "Do you love my brother? Are you in love with Jaxson?"

"I don't think-"She starts.

"Tara, I'm not asking for selfish reasons. You're just gonna have to trust me on this one." I tell her. "I need to know if you love him. If this is real and if you plan on sticking around before I blow a hole in my family." She must sense the urgency in my words.

"I love him. I do. I still don't know where this is headed but I wanna find out." She stares at her hands and I see tears well behind her eyelids.

"Gemma isn't happy about you and him. She did give Wendy that syringe. Now she's making nice with the junkie to push her on Jaxson." I blurt out, not really stopping to worry about any kind of tact or gentleness that would have worked better. She searches my face to see if I'm lying.

"Why are you telling me this? I know how close you are to Gemma." She is skeptical.

"I know what Jaxson feels for you. I know that no matter how many times we try to tell either of you what a terrible idea it is and how horribly this is going to end, you're gonna be together. Some loves just don't fade. I see it on his face. I get it. I watch your face and I know what you're feeling for him. Tara, it was me, you and Donna against the world growing up. I introduced both of you to my brothers. When you left, you didn't just hurt Jaxson. We were all crushed." I explain.

"I had to leave. I had to." She still can't put it into words.

"And now?" I ask.

"I can't leave." She says, the tears overflow. I stand up and go to her, pulling her into a hug.

"Then you fight for him Tara, don't let him walk away from you and don't let Gemma come between you. You stand up to her." I tell her, running my hand over her hair. She stops crying slowly.

"Abel is being released today." She whispers, wiping the tears away from her face.

"I know. Thank you for saving my nephew. That bitch tried to kill him." I tell her, trying to hide my disgust for Wendy. "That might have something to do with why I told you. I trust this conversation stays between us?" She nods.

"Thank you Bree." She tells me as I leave again. I hurry to the store so Gemma doesn't start to question my absence.

* * *

Gemma is gone by the time I get back to Jax's house. Luann pulls up behind me, a large envelope tucked under her arm. We unload my car and carry everything inside. A few of the regular crow eaters start trickling in and help us get everything going. Donna shows up a short time later. Luann and I sneak off so she can show me the pictures. A soft knock at the door startles me.

I peek out the door and Filip is leaning against the frame, forearm above his head. He leans in and gives me a kiss. I giggle and start to close the door on him.

"Give me a few minutes." I tell him. Luann puts her hand on my arm.

"Show him. They're all gorgeous." She whispers, before heading back to the kitchen. I open the door so he can come in and he sits down in the rocking chair. I pick up the envelope and hand it to him.

"They're for you and only you. I catch one of these in one of those perverts hands or toolboxes; they will be the only view you have for a long time." I threaten him with a smile. He gives me an odd look before he pulls out the black photo album. He starts flipping through it and his eyes grow wide. "Like them?"

"Like em? Jeysus." He smiles from ear to ear before closing the book and sliding it back in the envelope. He pulls me into his lap and gives me a long passionate kiss.

"I love you Filip." I tell him when I finally break the kiss.

"If we didn't need to get outta this room and welcome home Jackie's boy, I'd have you ride me right here." He growls as I slap him playfully.

"Let's go perv. Keep those outta sight or you're dead." I tell him again. Everyone has started to trickle in while we were in the room. Luann and Donna are busy loading up plates of food. I hurry to help them, pulling out beer and putting it on ice.

When Jaxson walks in with Abel, everyone gathers around them for a good look at our newest family member. Everyone is laughing and smiling. My smile falters a little when I see Wendy behind Jaxson. Gemma stands next to her, looking proud. I shake my head at her and look away. She notices my irritation but I don't let her get close enough to ask any questions, avoiding her most of the night by spending time with Donna and Opie.


	24. Chapter 24

**This was a hard chapter to write for obvious reasons. So was the next one. **

* * *

Donna and Opie give me a hug and kiss goodbye before they drag the kids reluctantly home. I offer to stay and help the girls clean up. My buzz is pretty strong. I glance toward the living room, watching Filip coo and cuddle with Abel as he's holding him. I can't stop the smile from spreading across my face. He looks up and makes eye contact with me with a goofy grin of his own.

Jaxson interrupts my thoughts when he rushes into the kitchen and grabs my arm.

"We gotta go. Just got a call from Unser." He pulls me out the door with Filip close behind.

I don't ask questions but from the way Jaxson is riding and the speed we're going, I know this can't be good. In the distance I see police and rescue lights and my stomach drops. The three bikes squeal to a stop at the same time my sister-in-law's vehicle pulls up. I jump off the bike and race ahead, ducking under police tape.

Donna's lifeless body lies there, she's covered in blood. I drop to my knees next to her as Opie reaches her; calling out her name. He sobs over her, turning her head to see her. Clay, Filip and Jaxson stand nearby. I cautiously put my hands on my brother's back, pulling Opie closer to me.

"Op, I'm here. Op, come on." I try to pull him away.

Jaxson and Filip surround him, pulling him to his feet and walking him over to a car. Juice pulls me up and we follow my brother. The medics cover Donna's body and I fall into Filip's arms. He holds me up as I stare blankly at my brother. His body is wracked with painful sobbing. I reach out to him, pulling him into me for a hug. He clings to me for support and I hold him, allowing the tears to cascade. I kiss him on the top of his head and rub my hands up and down his back.

"We gotta get him home." I hear Jaxson whisper.

"I'll take him home." I tell him numbly. Filip and Juice help me get him to the car.

"I'm comin with ya." Filip assures me as I sit down in the driver seat.

My body goes into automatic as I drive my brother home. His crying has subsided and he is staring out the window, his forehead pressed to the glass. I reach over and take his hand. He doesn't move. The silent ride home makes me nauseous. Strange thoughts run through my head and I can't help feeling a little angry.

* * *

The kids are sleeping when we get to the house. Mary is sitting in the living room, waiting for news when we bring Opie in the house. Fillip and I walk past her, leading him to the spare bedroom. He stops us when we get to the door.

"No, I need to be in my room. Please just go." He tells me firmly and walks away, slamming the door behind him.

I look down and see that I'm covered in blood from holding him. My knees are no longer able to hold me and I lean against the hallway wall. I slide along the wall until I am sitting on the floor. Filip leans down and helps me to stand again, holding me as he walks me to the living room.

"Someone needs to call dad." I mutter to no one. "He needs to know."

"I'll go over there." Mary offers. She stops next to me and takes my hand. I jerk it back with a disgusted look.

"Don't." I almost yell. She looks down and drops her hand away. Grabbing her keys and purse, she leaves.

"Let's go. We'll come back in the mornin, help Op with the kids." Filip leads me out the door to his bike.

I lean into him for support. I'm surprised when we pull into the TM lot. I see a few other bikes lined up. When we sit down at the bar next to Juice, he hands us a bottle of whiskey and some glasses. Filip pours us each a tall glass before we drink in silence.

I replay the conversation from earlier over and over in my head. Clay thinking Opie was a rat. No way was this a hit on Donna. It was meant for my brother. The looks on Clay and Jaxson's faces told me something else was going on. I slam the entire glass and pour another one. I pray the hard alcohol warms the chill in my body. I realize I'm shivering when Filip puts his arm across my shoulders. Juice leaves us for a moment.

Filip doesn't say a word, just wraps his arms around me. I break down in his arms, allowing sob after sob to roll throughout my body until I have no voice and my tears are gone. The numbness from the whiskey starts to take over. Filip stands up and pulls me into his arms, carrying me to one of the empty dorm rooms in back. He rifles through a drawer and pulls out an over-sized t-shirt and a pair of his boxers.

Without any sound, he helps me undress. He tosses my blood stained clothes in the trash and heads to the private bathroom. I hear the water run and he comes back with a glass of water, some white pills and a washcloth. I accept them all without question, assuming the pills are some kind of painkiller or sleeping pill. I wash my face with the rag and hand it back to him.

He tosses it aside and steps out of his jeans. He curls up in bed next to me, holding me tight. The pills work quickly and I fade out of consciousness.

* * *

I spend the next morning planning the funeral. Mary tries to help but I shut her out at each turn. The girls from the club are in and out of Opie's house all day, cooking and cleaning. I give them half-hearted directions that they don't question. They help drop off the kids at school, doing what they can. The front door opens and Jaxson walks in.

"Bree." He wraps me into a hug.

I struggle to keep the tears from coming again. I haven't let Opie see me cry and I can't now. He's outside with the kids. I sat by his side when he broke the news to them early this morning. Ellie hadn't stopped crying and Kenny just wanted to know when Mom would be home.

"How are you?" He asks, pushing hair out of my face. I shrug.

He looks over my shoulder into the kitchen and I see Mary watching us intently. Her bottom lip quivers and I turn away. I know she is grieving. Everyone loved Donna. I just can't have sympathy for her right now. Jaxson steps away from me and gives her a hug.

"Where is he?" He asks.

"Outside, with the kids." Mary's voice cracks.

"It's good you're here Mary." He says.

I don't stick around to hear the rest, instead stepping outside to clear my head. I sit down on the stoop and take several deep breaths. The weight across my shoulders grows heavier and I stop trying to keep a strong face. Instead, I let the tears fall. I bury my face in my hands. I hear footsteps and look up.

"Hey baby girl." My dad greets me with sad eyes. He's completely sober and I know how much that hurts him right now. I jump up from my spot and rush over to him, throwing myself into his waiting arms. I sob uncontrollably, feeling the pain of losing my friend, my sister and the pain of my brother's suffering.

"Daddy, I don't know what to do for him." I stutter through my crying.

"You just be there honey. We all will." He runs his hand up and down my back, trying desperately to console me.

"You find who did this to our family dad. I don't care what that sounds like but you find him and you kill him." I tell him, my teeth gritted at the sudden anger that washes over me.

"We will sweetie. We will." He comforts me and we turn to head back inside. From inside his pocket, his phone rings. He grabs it and I see Clay's name across the caller ID. He walks away with the phone for a moment. When he hangs up, he turns back to me with a heavy expression.

"Run in and grab Jaxson, we got church." He explains.

"Opie too?" I ask. He shakes his head at me. When I step into the house, Jaxson is already on his way out.

"Dad's looking for you out front; Clay called you guys to the table." I tell him.

"You ok?" He asks. "Need anything?"

"Nah, no viewing, just the funeral tomorrow. I got the details worked out but if you could spread the word for me." I fill him in on the details before he takes off. I walk him outside and watch as he hugs my dad.

"Make sure Filip's safe for me Jax." I ask, walking over to give my dad a hug.

"You love him baby?" He asks me seriously.

"Yeah daddy. I do." I reassure him.

"How do you know he loves you?" He asks.

"Just trusting him on this one. You talk to him, see if he loves me or not." I give him a kiss on his cheek and they both get on their bikes and go.

* * *

After most of the girls have left and Mary takes the kids to her hotel for the night, I go outside and sit down in a chair next to my brother. He's leaning back, staring at the sky.

"Everything is set Op." I whisper. "I just finished up with the funeral home." I lean forward, putting my elbows on my knees and looking at the ground.

"Thank you Bree." His voice is raspy and soft.

"You do what you gotta do Opie. I'll take care of Ellie and Kenny, keep everything going here. Take your time." I still don't make eye contact.

"It's my fault." He says. "I chose this life over her; I put her in the line of fire."

"Opie, it's not your fault. Donna loved you, that is what kept her by your side. You're a good man sweetie." I drop down to my knees in front of him, putting my hand over his.

"She'd be alive if I wasn't a fucking coward." He groans and leans his head back again. I stand up and slap him hard across the face.

"You listen to me. You are no coward. My brother is a strong man, one who takes care of his family and business no matter what. Right now, you're hurting and that's gonna be there for a long time but don't you dare check out on me or those kids. They need you. I need you." I scream at him, crying the entire time.

"Stop, stop." He stands up and pulls me into his chest. I stand there hugging him for a long while. "What am I gonna do without her?"

"Well tonight, tonight we're gonna get shitfaced. Tomorrow, we're gonna bury your wife and each day after that, we'll work hard to keep her memory alive and will support each other to get through this pain." I pull him through the house, holding his hand. We sit down at the table and I pour us drinks. He sips his silently and we spend the rest of the night at that table in silence.


	25. Chapter 25

**These next chapters jump around to the big stress for a reason. Not going to be a lot of fluff going forward.**

* * *

Filip and I get ready quietly the next morning. I feel like everything is moving in slow motion. Before heading to the funeral home, we head to the clubhouse. Thousands of bikes are gathered, charters from all over. Happy finds me, pulling me into a tight embrace. I don't see Jaxson anywhere.

Tara pulls in next to my surprise. She steps out of the car and hugs me tight. I smile at her gently before climbing on the back of Opie's bike, making sure the family arrives together. He pats my hand gently as I put my arms around his chest.

The ride to the cemetery is long and painful. The sounds of the bikes echo off the trees as come to a stop. Filip, Juice, Half-Sack, Happy, Clay and Tig serve as pall bearers; marching silently with Donna's casket next to us. I wrap my arm through my dad's and we sit down together next to Opie. Filip stands behind me, his arm on my shoulder protectively. Dad watches as Filip leans down and gives me a soft kiss on the cheek.

Tara sits down near Juice and I watch as Gemma and Wendy glare at her. The preacher delivers a beautiful service. Dad asks me to speak at her grave. I stand up to start my speech and tears overflow. I watch as Jaxson strides across the cemetery, his lip bleeding and cut. Tara grabs his kutte from Juice and takes it to him, helping him put it on. The two share a kiss that reminds me of high school. Jaxson grabs a flower and places it on Donna's casket. He locks eyes with Clay and Tig. A silent exchange plays out through their eyes and every fear I have had over the last two days is confirmed.

"I had this speech prepared, this whole thing about how amazing my sister-in-law was. The words just don't seem to fit now that I'm here. I could tell you that Donna was an excellent mother and wife, she was patient and kind. But anyone who knows her already knew that stuff about her. What they don't know is how strong and determined she was. She was stubborn to a fault and loyal no matter what. We were friends from kindergarten on; damn near inseparable. We shared everything with each other. Our freshman year in high school, Donna confessed that she had a crush on my big brother. Imagine my disgust." I stop to smile at the memory. Opie's lip curls up into a smile as tears streak down his face. "I tried to talk her out of it for months, telling her she was crazy. Tara and I couldn't convince her. The more we tried to tell her to give up, the more she plotted." Tara makes eye contact with me before I continue.

"So she came up with this scheme, something to get him to notice her. It backfired in every way possible. I thought she might finally give up. But she didn't. She made a fool out of herself trying to get my brother's attention. Once he finally wised up and noticed her, her hard work paid off because she never lost his attention. Growing up watching those two, it gave me hope in a true love. Something that wasn't dirty and full of lies. Something that was pure and honest and consuming." My voice broke and my dad stepped up to my side. "Donna was my sister. She was someone I admired and respected. She fought for her family. That's the kind of person we're losing today. Now we just have to make sure we take all that we learned from her death and make sure we don't waste our own."

I take a seat next to my brother again and he leans over.

"That was beautiful. She would have loved it." He whispered, putting his forehead against my cheek.

I put my hand on his face, turning to give him a kiss. Hot tears fell down my cheeks and my breath caught in my chest. The casket slowly lowered into the ground. Dad walked over to where I saw Jaxson sitting at JT's grave. I decide to leave them for a moment. My dad only talks to him for a moment before walking back to me.

"That was wonderful sweetie." He tells me, placing his hand on my chin. "I'm real proud of you. And I talked to Filip."

"Yeah and does he love me?" I ask with a faint grin. Dad looks over my shoulder to where Filip is standing with Opie.

"Yeah, he does. I'm sorry for the way I acted."

"I get it. I'm daddy's little girl. Of course you had to get upset and overreact. Just glad you didn't do something embarrassing like clean your gun at the dinner table." I wink at him.

"Let's go. Filip's waiting." He puts his arm around me and we stroll together in silence until we get back to Filip. Opie gives me one last hug as he carries Kenny to Mary's car.

"Take my daughter home, keep her safe." Dad growls at Filip, clapping him on the back. I look back to where Jax stood at his father's grave. His back is to me and I shake my head at the idea of running to him and demanding answers. Instead, I let Filip lead me to his bike and we leave.

* * *

**1 Month Later**

I walk into the small diner not paying particular attention to my surroundings. David Hale's voice stirs me out of my random thoughts.

"How you doing Aubrey?" His voice is sincere but his emotion does nothing but irritate me more.

"One day at a time Deputy Do-Little." I answer, my eyes cascading around the room. My dad sits at the diner bar hunched over a plate of eggs and coffee.

"How is Opie?" He asks.

"Don't say his name to me. You and that Stahl bitch don't get the right." I spin around and practically growl the words through gritted teeth. "Go to hell."

I march over to my father and sit down next to him. He overheard the last part of our conversation and keeps a glaring eye on David as he sits down with his asshole brother.

"Morning sweetie." He greets me, turning toward me to give me a hug. "Heard your brother's comin back today."

"Thank God." I sigh. "I was starting to worry."

"Yeah, me too baby girl." He turns back to his food, shoveling it in his mouth. I order a cup of coffee and sit there in silence while he eats. I feel someone staring at me and turn to see one of the men with the Hale brothers watching us with interest.

"Who's that pops?" I ask, nodding my head to the meeting in the corner.

"Don't know." He casually looked over his shoulder and back at me.

"That guy's kinda creepy."I shudder under the man's gaze.

"Filip on business today?" He asks, changing the subject.

"Yeah, with Jaxson." I explain. Dad rolls his eyes. The tension in the club has grown substantially. Filip and I have done our best to keep to ourselves but with my brother's return, I wonder if we can do it much longer.

We finish our morning ritual. Since Donna's death, dad's been set on spending more time together even going so far as to take the kids to school once in a while to help Mary and me out and our now daily breakfast date. Mary and I had settled into a joint custody situation, giving us each a break and no need to interact with each other. I had to admit having her around had been useful but I was ready for the woman to run away again. My phone rang across the counter, my brother's name on the caller ID.

"Hey." I answer quickly. "You home?"

"Yeah, just got here." His voice is quiet, distant.

"Mary giving you a hard time yet?" I ask, a smile playing on my lips.

"Yeah, already starting in on me. Mind getting the kids after school today? Got some stuff I need to get done." He rushes through. I figure Mary had already told him no.

"Of course." I reassure him.

"Thank you Bree. For everything." He says before hanging up. I hear the sadness hang on in every word.

"I gotta get to work Dad. Don't want Gemma on my case." I give him a kiss on his forehead and leave. The scary man from the corner watches my every move.

* * *

**Later that night**

Bobby is scheduled to be back any minute. The entire club is packed into the TM parking lot, crow eaters milling around. I stand by Filip's side, joking with Juice and Happy. An expensive-looking car pulls in and stops right next to us. The two men meeting with the Hales this morning step out. My breath catches in my chest.

"Stay here babe." Filip tells me as he joins Clay with Juice and Hap. Gemma walks out and stands next to me. There is some irritated confrontation brewing between the men before they are told to leave. Gemma walks over to Clay while Filip joins me.

"Babe, those two men were at the diner this morning, the one guy gives me the creeps." I tell him. "They were meeting with Deputy Dip-Shit and his King Asshole brother."

"Christ. I want you to stay away from them. At least till we know what's goin on." He pulls me in for a kiss.

The crowd starts to cheer as a black town car pulls in. That fed bitch steps out first before Juice pulls open the back door. Bobby steps out amid the hoots and hollering, everyone rushing in to greet him home.

"I'm going over to relive Neeta. Take care of Abel." Gemma whispers in my ear and kisses my cheek. I know for a fact Tara is going over there but neglect to tell the woman that. She was still carrying a grudge for her plan falling through.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow." I reassure her. Things are still awkward between us.

The party goes on for a long while, the guys getting more obnoxious with each drink. I laugh at the sight of Bobby and two larger women on the pool table. Filip and Kip are wrestling around and laughing. This is the first relaxed moment since Donna. I glance out the door and see my brother sitting on a picnic table. I walk outside grabbing a beer on my way.

He barely looks up when I sit down. I reach over, putting my arm through his and lean on his shoulder. We sit there for a while, quiet and close. I struggle with the idea of sharing my suspicions with him. Not sure if it will actually help, I decide to keep it to myself for now. Instead I take comfort that he's back, safe and in one piece physically. The only thing I can do now is hold him close, keep him sane. He didn't need me to tell him to go see his kids or take care of his responsibilities. Instead, I needed to do that for him now.

Filip makes his way outside when he doesn't see me standing by Juice. He catches us in our moment and smiles wide.

"Thank you brother." Opie tells him. "I know you been helpin Bree with the kids and stuff. You take good care of my sister."

"Aye, no problem brotha. She's pretty easy to take care of." I smile at him, feeling more in love each day.

"Yeah, but still." Opie shrugs, I untangle my arm from his. "You deserved that hit." Filip and I laugh at him.

"Yer right, I did." He concedes. "You wantin to go home sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I'm getting too old for this shit." I joke with him.

"If you're too old, imagine how Chibs feels." Opie laughs as he pulls me to stand with him. It's the first true laugh I've heard from him.

"Ya both are a bunch of fuckin comedians now." Filip shakes his head, pulling me to his bike with him.


	26. Chapter 26

_I'm on my way to club house, get there now._

The text from Filip had me on edge. It wasn't like him to demand things. I had spent the better part of the day taking care of TM while Gemma was at the hospital. After half the club left to go check on her, I was swamped. All I wanted was one night off from this shit but it wasn't going to happen.

When I step through the door, the sight of Bobby bleeding and in pain greets me. I throw my purse down on one of the tables and rush over. Filip meets me half-way.

"He's ok, doc's fixin him up." I make eye contact with Tara over Filip's shoulder, giving her a sympathetic smile. I nod at Filip, assuring him I understand.

"You ok?" I ask, suddenly looking him over for damage.

"Yeah, yeah. Fine." He pulls me in for a hug. "Op too."

I relax instantly in his arms. It's some kind of strange control he has over me. I glance over at Gemma, noticing the damage to her face. She steps over to me and I break away from Filip.

"Oh, mama. You ok?" I ask. She nods dismissively but I see some kind of pain behind her eyes that tells me she's lying.

We wait patiently while Tara works on Bobby, he groans in protest several times. Something about the look on his face and his half empty bottle of Jack makes me laugh, almost uncontrollably. He looks at me puzzled.

"Welcome fucking home big man." I laugh and a few of the guys join in.

"I'd rather have a private party with you Bree." He winks at Filip who playfully lunges toward him.

"I did always have a thing for Elvis." I wiggle my eyebrows at him. Tara looks at me appreciatively, thankful for the sudden distraction in the antsy patient. We leave after he's all patched up. Filip rides behind me, slipping easily into my driveway as I pull into the garage.

He opens my door and helps me out of the car. I run my hand through my hair, moving it to the side of my head and over my shoulder. Filip leans over and nibbles gently on my exposed neck. He backs me up against the side of the car, gripping my thigh and pulling it up to his hip. He grinds into me, kissing down the front dip in my shirt.

I twirl my fingers into his longer hair. His free hand cups my cheek, pulling me into his kiss deeper. His tongue traces my lower lip before he pulls it slowly into his mouth. I moan, gently against his lips, melting into his touch.

"Come to bed with me Mr. Telford?" I whisper into his ear, allowing my hot breath to linger over his neck.

"Nah, I think I'll stay out here." He responds, pushing his erection against me.

"Yeah, ok. Stay out here then." I tease, slipping out from under him so that he falls gently against the side of my car. He groans as I walk into the house. I barely make it to my bedroom before I hear him behind me.

I stand in the middle of my room, stepping out of my shoes when he comes to the doorway. I watch him shrug out of his kutte and hang it on the door. He slowly unbuttons his shirt, staring at me intently. I flash him a seductive smile and he steps closer, throwing his shirt on the floor. I grip the hem of his wife-beater, pulling it over his head. My hands slide easily over his bare chest.

"Make love to me Filip." I whisper to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He lifts me up, setting me gently on the bed.

"Aye lass, I'll do whatever ya want me too." His deep accent setting off something inside me, making me quiver.

His fingers slip under my shirt, making feather-like motions across my skin. Goose bumps rush over my skin and every nerve in my body hums with his touch. He slowly works my shirt up my stomach, laying kisses along my abdomen. I try not to writhe under him, wanting him so bad.

I gasp sharply when his tongue makes contact with my nipple. A current runs straight from that spot through my stomach and between my legs. When he moves on, nibbling my neck, I turn into him and push myself against him. He slides my shirt the rest of the way off, undoing my bra quickly in the process. He buries his face between my breasts and kisses my sternum; the sensation is strange and thrilling.

I run my fingers lightly over his back and neck, the muscles flexing under my touch. Just watching them tighten and relax makes me wet. My hand travels to his chest as he positions himself next to me on the bed. We lay there kissing for so long I think I'm going to faint from the lack of oxygen. He holds me close to him. Unable to stand the buildup any longer, I reach down to his belt and easily get it off. He smiles against my lips and takes the lead, pulling my jeans and panties off in one swift motion.

I open my legs to him as he pushes his jeans off and hovers over me. He gently lowers himself into me, pushing slowly in and staying there as I grind against him in pure need. I wiggle under him as he kisses my neck gently, leaving no space untouched. Slowly he begins to move, pushing in and out of me with strong, slow thrusts. The way he moves drives me insane as I get closer to falling apart.

He can feel me tighten against him and he reaches down, gripping my hip and pinning me to the bed as he picks up his pace. I roll my hips under his weight and suddenly explode against him, crying out his name and digging my nails into his back; the muscles reacting under my grip.

"Christ Aubrey, I don't know if I can hold back anymore baby." He whispers in my ear, his hand shaking against my hip. I push him away from me, rolling over underneath him. He wraps his arm around my waist pulling me too him and slams into me from behind. After months of this, I still enjoy the feel of him completely buried inside me, filling me completely. He crashes against me, making sure I feel each thrust in every part of my body. He pulls me up so my back is against his chest and he wraps his hand around the base of my throat gently holding me in place while I bounce on his lap. Each time I fall on top of him, my legs spread more allowing him to reach the deepest parts of me and when he finally shudders underneath me, emptying himself inside of me I come apart on top of him, my muscles twitching in pleasure.

He lays me down on my stomach in front of him before falling down next to me. I use my little left over energy and crawl up to meet him, placing my head on his sweaty chest.

"Happy is in town ya know?" His odd comment wakes me from the blissful state.

"Yeah? I don't care what kind of kinky shit Tig is telling you guys about these days; we're not trying one of his tricks." I laugh, looking up at him.

"Yer hilarious love." He lights a cigarette, slowly exhaling. "I was thinkin ya might need some new ink."

I didn't say anything, not sure if I heard him correctly or if I was jumping to the right assumption. When the silence goes on for a few moments, he flexes his chest.

"Ya awake?" He asks.

"Um yeah." I am completely speechless.

"What do ya think?" His voice is low and sexy. I look up at him, searching for some kind of sign in his face.

"New ink?" I repeat.

"Aye, thinkin it might be time ya got my crow." My mouth drops open. He waits patiently for me to gain my composure.

"I'd like that." I murmur, the familiar warmth spreading over my body. He puts his cigarette out and cups my chin in his hand, pulling me to him for a kiss.

"I talked to yer da about it today." He whispers and I sit up suddenly.

"What now?" I ask, not sure I heard him right.

"Ya, he gave us his blessin." I had a hard time hiding my shock. "Yer brothers both did too."

"How long have you been planning this?" I ask.

"I don't know, a while. I was waitin for shit to settle, for Op to come home." He shrugs, watching my face closely.

"Of course baby. Whatever you want me to get." I lean in to kiss him again, this time throwing my leg over his lap. I grind my wetness against him, feeling him grow hard as I move. I reach down between my legs and hold him still as I lower myself over him.

"If I woulda known you were gonna get this excited, I mighta told ya about it sooner." He laughs as I sit straight up on top of him, my hair hanging over my shoulders.

I sit there unmoving holding him inside me for a moment as he runs his hands over my ribs and stomach. He slides his fingers down between us and rubs them over my clit, causing me to moan loudly before falling over him. He grabs my ass in both hands and pulls me back down on him, slamming into me hard. I gasp loudly and he keeps it up, making sure each time we come in contact that it's hard and deep. The sensation is amazing and soon I'm bouncing on top of him. He sits up under me, pulling me to him as I bury my hands in his hair. He takes one of my nipples into his mouth and bites it hard. I scream loudly as I cum all over his lap. He follows closely behind with his own powerful orgasm. We both collapse onto the bed, breathless.

"You know, maybe you should do something for me since I'm getting your crow." I mumble into my pillow.

"What's that love?" He asks between gasps.

"I love a man with pierced nipples." I move over to him, placing my mouth over his nipple and sucking it slowly. He groans in response. "Think of all the fun we'll have."

"Go to sleep crazy girl." He kisses me on the top of my head as he rolls me to my side and cuddles in behind me.

* * *

**So maybe a little fluff and smut. :) This is about it for awhile, the next chapters get rough.**


	27. Chapter 27

**A Month Later**

Lately we've been slammed at the garage. Today I can barely see straight. Dad helps as much as he can but Gemma is a mess. She hasn't been right since her accident. I sigh loudly when I watch her peel out of the driveway.

"That's fucking great. Just fucking great. Lowell where are we with that Sebring?" I bellow causing him to jump. "Sorry Lowell. I didn't mean it. Where are we?"

"Naw, it's ok Bree. Just about finished." He smiles at me. I stomp back to the office, slamming the door behind me. I flop down at the desk, rubbing my temples. My phone rings loudly, startling me and irritating me even more.

"Yeah." I growl into the phone.

"E'erything a'ight sweetheart?" Filip's voice settles me.

"Just a busy day here. Gemma took off and I'm buried. How's the run?" I ask, trying to move the focus off my frustration.

"Takin longer than we meant, not sure when I'll be home." Something is off in his voice, some additional tension that I can't place.

"You ok baby?" I ask, hoping it's just the stress of a long ride. I know this run is just cover. Filip told me as much as he could before he left this morning.

"Yeah, we'll talk when I'm back. I love you Aubrey." He told me, I heard the sound of bikes starting in the background.

"Love you too Filip. Be safe." I hang up and toss the phone back on the desk. Dad walks through the door a moment later.

"You're gonna have to lock up tonight, I gotta run to a tow pick up." He tells me, grabbing the keys.

"SERIOUSLY?" I practically shout. Dog and Lowell turn to stare at me and I put my head on the desk. Dad closes the doors and the blinds.

"What's up baby girl?" He sits down next to me.

"No I'm ok dad. Just stressed, between the kids, the garage and all the God-damn drama, I haven't had a day off since Donna." My voice falters a little.

"I know sweetie. I know. Let me take care of this and then tomorrow, I'll cover you. Take your day off and go shopping or have lunch with Tara if you wanna." He kisses my hand before getting back up to leave. I smile at his effort, knowing full well that I probably won't get the time he's promising.

* * *

By the time we actually finish the work for the day, the sun is dipping low in the sky. I send the guys home, sorting through the chaos of paperwork on the desk. I don't realize what time it is until my phone vibrates across the desk with a text.

_Spooning with Bobby just ain't the same. I miss you._

I laugh at the text, relaxing a little from the day. I decide to lock up and notice the time, well past midnight. I text him back as I walk to my car.

_Give him a reach around and I'm sure he'll help you out. I won't judge you. Love you._

The sudden sound of footsteps startles me and I stop, looking around. A movement near the gate catches my attention. I hurry to get into my car but don't make it in time. A strong arm wraps around my throat, pulling me against something hard.

"Don't move or I'll put a bullet in your spine." An unfamiliar voice grunts in my ear.

"What the fuck?" I manage.

"Don't say a word bitch." He says again, this time he drags me toward the garage. Before we get inside, he places some kind of fabric over my head. My wrists are held, tightly in front of me.

I keep my mouth shut and my body rigid when I hear chains dragged across the floor. The man hooks something hard around my wrists and my arms are raised above my head, my feet barely touching the floor below me. The hood is removed from my head and a bright light blinds me.

"We tried breaking the Queen of SAMCRO, maybe the princess will break instead." The man growls as he steps in front of me, a white rubber mask in place. I notice the sharp knife in his hand and stop fighting against the chains, a strong sense of dread washing over me. Two other men stand next to him, the same white masks. All three men wear long sleeve shirts and gloves.

The ring leader steps forward. I close my eyes, anticipating something painful. Instead I'm surprised when I feel him cut my shirt open, followed by my pants. He leaves me dangling there in just a bra and panties. Tears stream down my face but I don't make a sound.

"We need you to tell your family this little story. They need to know what we're willing to do to make sure they stop selling to the Niggers and Spics." His voice is a gruff whisper. "You gonna scream for me Baby Bree?" My eyes snap open at the casual way he uses my family nickname.

I feel the sting of his knife as he pierces the skin at the back of my neck. I grit my teeth as the blade slices through skin and muscle in quick movements. I feel a trickle of warm liquid slowly dripping down my back. A guttural scream escapes me as he finishes, tears flowing now.

"This time we won't leave it to you to pass along the message. We'll make sure they get it." I feel the blade slice into the skin above my hip, the same burning pain shooting through me.

I look down at the floor to see droplets of blood forming on the floor. Sobs wrack my body and I feel light headed. I start to struggle, hoping to move away from the man, make some kind of noise. One of his friends swings a large fist, connecting with my jaw. A shattering pain vibrates through my head. My eyes close and I only manage a few whimpers.

The leader keeps his knife work up for a little while longer. My stomach and back covered with marks of vibrant red as the floor becomes covered in blood. I shiver against the cold wave rushing through my body. I fall in and out of consciousness. Each time a scream or grunt passes through my lips; one of his buddies takes a swing. There's a stinging pain in my wrists as my body becomes heavy against the metal chains. Suddenly a phone rings. One of the backup crew steps away and answers the phone. The call is quick and he turns back to us.

"We gotta go." He whispers the man, interrupting his knife work.

"Sorry sweetheart, some other time." They leave quickly, taking their tools but keeping me where I was. They shut off the light, leaving me with only the early morning light streaming through the windows. When I'm sure they're gone I struggle against the chains. Lowell walks in, flipping the light back on and stops. He runs over to me and lowers me to the ground, pulling the tape off my mouth.

"I'm gonna call an ambulance." He says after he helps me sit down on the ground.

"No, no. Give me my phone. It's right there." I tell him, my voice barely audible. "Then go close the gate. Call the guys and tell them not to come in until after noon. Take the list of repos off the fax machine and go pick up my dad. You don't tell him about this, understand me Lowell?" He stares at me, frightened.

"Yeah, ok Bree. I'm goin." He stutters and takes off. I quickly dial Tara's number.

"Bree?" Her voice is groggy.

"Tara, I need your help. Something happened." I fight back the tears again. "You need to bring your med kit."

"Yeah, where are you?" I hear her moving around.

"Clubhouse. Grab Gemma please." I hang up and push myself to stand, my legs weak and shaking.

I make it inside slowly, but somewhere in the hallway heading to the dorm rooms I can't move. My knees buckle and I fall to the ground. Everything falls black around me.


	28. Chapter 28

"Bree?" Tara's voice startles me. I jump away, curling further into myself.

"What's the last thing you remember sweetheart?" Unser asks softly.

"Three guys, one had a hunting knife." I stutter through my shivering, an unnerving cold coursing through my body.

"We gotta get her to the hospital; she's lost a lot of blood." Tara's panic rises. I struggle to keep awake.

"What are we gonna tell the cops, the guys?" Gemma scoffs.

"I don't give a fuck what you come up with but she needs blood and the only way I can get it is at St. Thomas." Tara turns angry, standing up to the mother of all bitches. If I was in any other frame of mind, I would have been extremely proud of her. "Wayne, help me out here." I feel two shaky hands grip me gently on each side and help me to my feet.

"Come on sweetie. Let's go, the doc will take care of you. He wraps the heavy blanket around my delicate skin.

We make each agonizing step toward Tara's car, Unser carefully lowering me into the back seat. Gemma sits next to me, pulling me to lie down in her lap. She rubs her hands up and down my arm, occasionally stopping to move hair out of my face or run her finger across the bruising on my face. We pull into the parking lot of St. Thomas and Tara runs ahead of us to get a wheelchair, Unser helping me into it. I fade in and out of it while they hurry to take me inside. Tara tells Gemma and Unser to wait while she gets me an IV and some meds. While she's doing her work, a lazy heavy feeling slowly takes over and I fall asleep again.

* * *

I turn in the unfamiliar bed, searing pain flows from everywhere. Each time my skin stretches, it feels like I'm being ripped apart.

"Sweetie, don't move. Just stay still." Tara puts her hand on my shoulder, pushing me gently back on the bed.

"How bad is it?" I whisper, my throat is on fire. She picks up a Styrofoam cup and feeds me a spoonful of ice chips.

"Several of your cuts were deep enough or long enough to need stitches. You're going to have to see a plastic surgeon." She says, her eyes drop to the floor.

"I'm not worried about scars." I try to dismiss the idea. Her face turns pale and I realize there's more. "Just tell me Tara. I'm not a sugar-coated type of person." She sighs loudly.

"They carved symbols and words into your skin. Swastikas and a few Aryan symbols." She holds my hand.

"Why me? Did Gemma have something to do with this?" I drop my voice and look at her. "They mentioned trying to break the queen."

"She needs to tell you that. Right now, she's working on a story with Unser. No one knows you're here." She tells me. "You're gonna be fine. Really sore for a little bit but good."

"Get her here now. Tell her I will call Hale if she's not here in 10min." I growl, staring up at the ceiling. She nods her agreement and steps out of the door. Gemma rushes in almost exactly 10min later. Her face is flush and irritated.

"What the hell are you threatening to go to Hale for?" She demands, her foot stomping slightly. When she sees the damage to my face and neck, she stops and her jaw drops open. "Oh my god baby girl. I'm so sorry."

"What's going on Gem? Why did this happen?" I ask; my voice still strained.

"My car accident wasn't an accident." She tells me the story, filling me in all the way up to today when she realized who the men who hurt her were. She explains what they want and why she didn't tell the guys or the cops. I had to agree with her logic. The guys would go off, start a war and that was the last thing we needed.

"What am I gonna tell them about my new body art?" I ask her when she's finished.

"Two kids mugged you. You keep them hidden for now." She explains. "Unser made it look like TM was robbed. You need anything sweetie?"

"No, I don't want Filip dealing with this while he's on club business. No distractions." I look down at my hands.

"I'll text him, tell him you dropped your phone and it broke. We'll tell him all of it when he's back safe." She assures me.

"When they get back, I wanna see Jaxson first. Blame it on needing him to donate blood or something." I make her promise.

"Sure thing doll." She turns and leaves. Tara comes back in with some more pain killers and I accept them, grateful.

* * *

I spend the next 12 hours in and out of sleep. Each time I wake up it's the same burning pain as the first time. Tara promises that the antibiotics and pain killers will take care of that for me. They've kept the details away from the guys, only telling them my phone was broke and not to worry.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Jax and Tara come into my room. I struggle to sit up a little and both of them rush to help me.

"Jesus Christ Bree. What the fuck happened?" He asks.

"I thought this hospital had visiting hours. What kind of place you running here Knowles?" I laugh weakly. Tara takes this as her cue to leave.

"Who did this?"

"I'll play a game with you Jax. Truth for truth, just me and you, we keep it to ourselves." I fold my hand over his.

"Yeah, ok." He gives me an odd look.

"Did Clay or Tig kill Donna? And don't fucking lie to me." I watch as his face goes through a wide range of emotions.

"I don't have proof, but yeah, I think they did." He looks down at the bed.

"AJ Weston and two of his Aryan pricks carved me up like a KKK buffet." I reach down and move the blanket and my gown to the side, revealing a particularly shallow swastika only covered in butterfly sutures. He rubs his hand over his goatee, pain and anger on his face.

"What happened?" He asks. I shake my head.

"It's my turn. Was he trying to kill my brother?" I ask. He nods his head, still looking at my side. I throw the blankets back over it, anger coursing through me. "They only said you needed to end your deal with the niggers and spics, their words not mine."

"They're dead." He says.

"No, you don't tell a soul about this. We're going to keep this to ourselves or I take my information to Op." I tell him, making my face reflect the no-nonsense tone. "Far as anyone is concerned, someone was stupid enough to rob TM, two stupid kids. We'll figure out the rest later."

He stares at me with an almost terrified expression, watching as I wince in pain while readjusting my position. A tear forms at his eye.

"Fine but you gotta tell Filip, he is gonna see this." He pleads with me.

"No Jaxson, he won't. I'm seeing a plastic surgeon tomorrow and I'll be hiding it from him until we get this taken care of. I'm not saying you won't be able to go after them but right now, a war in Charming is the last thing any of us need. From now on, you and I are full disclosure about this shit. No more games or I tell Opie everything and you'll have a full-blown monster on your hands." I use the last ounce of my energy and lean back, exhausted.

"Wow, maybe you are the princess of SAMCRO." He said. A flash of the attack plays in my mind and I stare at him for a moment.

"You need to watch out. They know more about us than you think. Weston called me that when he attacked me." The words rush out of my mouth. "Stahl called me that too. You think he has someone inside?"

"Yeah, I do." His eyes turn dark and he goes to leave. "Filip is already here. I"ll send him in." I lean back and close my eyes.

* * *

"Jeysus Christ Aubrey." Filip's voice is close. I open my swollen eyes with a half-smile, my stiff cheek fighting against the movement.

"Looks worse than it really is babe." My words fail to comfort him. He carefully brushes my falling hair from in front of my face and leans over to give me the faintest kiss on my forehead. "You guys all ok?"

"Little issue with Tiggy but otherwise we're good." He doesn't elaborate and I know better than to ask any questions. "How long doc say you gotta stay?"

"Until she's sure there's no concussion. She's being cautious. Should be later today or tomorrow at the latest. Tara's been the best." I lean back, unable to hold my head steady.

"Need anythin?" He asks.

"My pajamas, long sleeve please. This hospital is fucking freezing." I ask weakly

"I love you Bree." He whispers, leaning over me.

"What else is goin on baby?" I ask. "When you were out with the guys, you sounded off."

"Just some old shit, comin back to haunt me." He says, looking at his hands.

"I'm too high to bug you about this now but you're gonna tell me when I'm off this good stuff." I smirk at him, patting his head.

"You get some sleep sweetie. I'll go get your clothes and come back." He explains.

"I love you Filip." I mutter as I fade out again.

* * *

Hours later, Tara finally comes back. She holds a clipboard in her hand and she's dressed in casual clothes.

"Ready to go home?" She asks.

"Yeah, I gotta call someone." I tell her.

"On my way to the club, I'll drive you over. Filip brought you clothes." She hands me paperwork to sign.

The nurses help me to pull the clothes on over my bandages, carefully not to rip anything. Tara wheels in a chair and they get me situated in it.

"You can take this one with you. I signed it out for a few days." She tells me before pushing me back through the doors.

The ride to TM is excruciatingly long. The sun is almost setting when we pull in. I notice Gemma is right behind us. Dad and Jaxson sit on the picnic table. Tara calls Half-Sack over to help me out of the car and into the wheel chair. Dad stands up when we approach, his face full of agony. Ope stands nearby with Tig, his eyes boring into me.

"Oh baby. You ok?" Dad asks, lowering himself to kiss me on top of my head. Gemma heads inside after speaking with her son.

"Yeah daddy, just a little sore." I lie smoothly. Jaxson watches me carefully, his eyes full of worry. "Heard about the fight today." I turn to him.

"Yeah, he pushed my bike over." Jax looks down at his shoes, guilt all over his face.

"Such a heinous offense." I roll my eyes and my dad laughs. Filip sees me and waves.

"I'm jus gonna move this one, then I'll be done." He hops into a gray mini-van.

The next five minutes pass in slow-motion. I hear Filip scream as he leaps out of the van and then there's a loud explosion, the sound of busting glass and twisting metal screech across the lot. Filip's body flies into the air, sending him about 5 feet away. Everyone moves at once. Opie pushes me toward him; I realize the loud wail in the air is no longer the van but my own terrified screams. A pool of blood forms behind his head. Tara works on him while Jaxson is trying to get us all back. The sound of intense sirens fill my ears and a throbbing pain rushes through my head.


	29. Chapter 29

The agonizing wait has me terrified and in pain. The cops keep us on the lot, questioning everyone. I am desperate to get to the hospital. Tara and Gemma wait with me, the tension thick.

"These the same guys?" I ask Gemma

"Yeah, I think it is." She answers with a loud sigh.

"Still think we shouldn't tell the guys?" I give her a bitter, disgusted look. "All of this shit could have been prevented. Sick of losing people I love because no one around here knows what family is really about."

I wheel myself over to Hale, not waiting for either of them to respond.

"Can I get outta here? I wanna get to the hospital and see what's goin on with him." I rub my temples, my head throbbing. "Tara will take me."

"Yeah, yeah. How are you?" he asks.

"Find those punk kids yet?" I squint up at him as he shakes his head.

"These two can go." He calls out to an officer and points to Tara and me.

Jaxson and Juice help me back to the car. We get through to the family waiting room and Tara leaves me to go get news. As I wait, some of the guys and Gemma trickle in and out without anything new. Tara checks in with us regularly but she can only tell me there's no progress so many times before I want to hurt her.

* * *

Finally she comes out, letting me know that he's stable but critical. She continues to give details on his condition but I zone out, trying not to have a meltdown. Gemma puts her hand on my shoulder, I twist away from her in my chair. My anger for her taking over.

"We should go." She leans over and whispers.

"Then fucking go." I tell her. She is taken a back at my tone of a minute.

"You're in pain right now, not thinking clear." She says.

"I'm clear as day ma." I keep my eyes on the ICU doors. She turns and walks away.

* * *

Tara stops by later to give me the details of the guys being arrested. I'm numb over everything that's happened. My mind drained of any understanding at this point. Her words fall on deaf ears and I just stare at the wall. She sits in front of me and I watch her mouth move, not comprehending anything she's saying. She stands up, a worried look on her face.

Gemma sits down next to me a moment later, her hand covering mine and watches me. I stare at the white doors, afraid of everything behind them; pain and anger rushing through my mind. All the information floods my mind and I can't take it anymore.

"You guys go please. Just go home, get my niece and nephew, and take care of Abel. I need to stick around." I tell them.

"You need to rest. Please, just come home with me. You can sleep in Abel's room. I'll bring you back tomorrow." Tara pleads. Exhaustion takes over my stubbornness and I nod, allowing her to push me back through the hospital and to her car.

* * *

When Opie comes to pick up the kids, he stops into the room. I'm lying down.

"Bree." His expression is pained and lost.

"Op." I smile at him and pat the bed next to me. Instead he sits down on the floor, leaning his head against the bed frame. He takes his hat off and rubs his hands through his hair.

"Mary left again." He says, not making eye contact.

"Not surprised, she's not great at the sticking around thing." I laugh half-heartedly.

"What's going on here?" He asks, this time looking up at me.

"Not sure Opie. All I know is its not good." I sigh in defeat.

"I don't know what to do anymore." He says; his voice threatening to crack. I start brushing his hair behind his ear, unsure myself of where to go. Neither of us talks again and eventually, my pain meds push me into a deep sleep. I don't hear him when he finally gets up and leaves.

* * *

I'm up and on my feet the next morning, the soreness turning more into stiff muscles. I hobble out to the kitchen, finding Tara alone. She stands up when she sees me come in.

"How you feeling? Hungry?" She asks, helping me to a chair.

"Coffee and toast sound good. I can make it." I push myself up and she shakes her head.

"No, I got it. I'll make some eggs too, just in case." She moves around the kitchen her hands are shaking.

"What's going on with the guys?" I ask.

"They're home. It's not good right now." She says, looking at her feet.

"Yeah."

"You want me to take you to the hospital?" She asks. "Gemma and I were gonna go."

"That would be great." I answer.

* * *

When we get to the hospital, Gemma and I freeze in the waiting room. Just inside the room is a familiar woman.

"Gem." I say, she's staring too. "Is it?"

"Yeah baby. It is." Her face twists into a grimace. "Let me go find out what's going on."

Tara and I watch as the two women stare each other down. Tara gives me a questioning look. I turn away, tears threaten against my eyes.

"Who's that?" She asks.

"A ghost." I walk away, heading outside.

I sit in the hospital garden, trying to calm myself down. I refuse to go back inside for a while, even after I watch Fiona leave. I've heard the stories; know what this woman means to him, to us. When I'm finally ready to see him, I walk back inside. Tara walks me through ICU and into Filip's room. His eyes flutter open slightly.

"Mmmm my baby." He murmurs, turning his head slightly to look at me. "How are you feelin sweetheart?"

"I've had some better days." I look down at his hand. "Your wife is back." I can't stand to keep the words in my head any longer.

"Aye, I see that." He says. "It's not for me. Jimmy's comin stateside."

"Jimmy O'?" I knew the name from the stories. He gave Filip his scars, took his wife and daughter. "Sure she don't want something else?" I barely get the words out.

"No matter what she wants baby. It's us now." He pats my hand and his face turns up in pain.

"Want me to get the doc?" I ask. He shakes his head slowly.

"No, I want you to stay here." He smiles.

"Yeah, yeah old man. Close your eyes." I lean over and kiss his eyelids as they close. He's asleep within minutes. I walk back out to the family waiting room to wait for a ride from Tara. She takes me home and for the first time in days, I'm alone.


	30. Chapter 30

**Sorry it took so long to update. Gotta love when life catches up to you. Hope you enjoy. I got about 10 more chapter and then I'm stuck so hopefully my writer's block clears up soon. :(**

* * *

**A Week Later**

I sit at my kitchen table listening to Jaxson tic off reasons why he's leaving SAMCRO. I keep any judgments and advice out of it; he can get that from his mother. Jax and I might have grown closer but it is hard feeling the split between Opie and Jaxson. Filip has been distant too.

"Between this shit with Luann's murder and now Caracara, I have no choice. I stay here, shit gets bloody." He finishes, running his hand through his hair.

"Jaxson, I get it. I'm here for you no matter where the hell you go. You're my brother. We grew up in this, lived it every day and look where it got us." I reach out and take his hand in mine. Somewhere deep inside I feel relieved that he'll be gone. Not that I won't miss him, but Clay will never let Jaxson lead this club in the right direction. Instead he'll slowly choke the life out of him, killing everything around him. Jaxson reads the expression on my face.

"Hey, tell me what's going on. Honesty, remember?" He jokes.

"I'm pissed Jaxson. I've never been so hateful and angry in my entire life. Clay killed my sister while trying to kill my brother, lied to everyone about it. Hell, he killed a part of Opie that night and you know it just as well as I do. He is reckless and selfish, a greedy bastard. He looked me in my face all my life and told me I was safe with him. He just keeps taking the people I care about from me. He stepped on Zoebelle's toes and then didn't do anything about it. He let this happen to me, to your mom and he provoked it." I allow a growl to escape from my chest.

"I know. He's dangerous. You need to stay away from him Bree. Keep Filip from falling into it." At the mention of Filip's name, my heart drops a little. More often than not, when I'd go visit him I found out Fiona had been there or was coming in later. I tried to swallow my jealousy but it was slowly eating away at me. "What?"

"Fiona." I sigh, getting sick of the constant chaos lately.

"Go get ready so we can bring your man home; I ain't taken your ass out looking like that." I laugh at him as he looks down at my PJ's. I stand up carefully, mindful of my still-tender injuries. While I was healing, most of my body was still stiff and sore. After I throw on a tank top and loose capris; Jax rests against the door frame of my room, watching me throw my hair into a ponytail.

"I'm sorry that happened to you." He looks down at his feet.

"I know you are." I don't look at him as I slide my feet into my shoes. "You can't blame yourself for this." I wave my hand over some of the more visible wounds.

"Yeah, right. Ready?" He avoids the subject and turns to leave.

* * *

Filip and Half-Sack barrel through the doors loudly at St. Thomas. I smile apologetically at Tara. The guys all surround him, giving him hugs and grief. I stand back, waiting for the rowdy reunion to finish up. Jaxson turns to me and lets me walk between him and Happy into Filip's waiting arms. He smiles down at me and leans in for a sweet kiss, bending me slightly backwards and taking my breath away. He's careful where he puts his hands, not wanting to cause me pain. When he moves down to my neck and collarbone, Happy breaks it up.

"All right. I am not here for the porn." He slaps Filip on the arm loudly. "Let's get the fuck outta this place man!" Filip walks next to Jaxson who is catching him up on club business. Tara and I lag behind until we get outside.

"Wanna wait up? I need to talk to you." Tara asks.

"Yeah, no problem." I tell her and run over to the guys. "Half-Sack, get my man to the clubhouse safely. I'm gonna hang back with Tara."

"Aww baby, Now?" He reaches out for me.

"Yeah, I won't be too far behind. Just some girl talk." I promise him. He kisses me deeply again, pressing me up against the van. I carefully touch his cheek, returning the passion.

"Jesus Christ you two. I'm gonna be sick." Happy shouts from his bike. Around Filip's back, I flip him off.

"Get there soon love." He whispers as he pulls away from me. He runs his hand over my cheek. "My guardian angel." He leaves another burning kiss on my lips and goes.

I head back inside with Tara and freeze when I notice the woman sitting in the waiting room. She keeps her poisonous glare on me and I dismiss my initial instinct to run in the other direction. I refuse to show her that she has any affect on me. She stands and crosses over to me gracefully.

"Yer Piney's daughter?" Her voice is low and serious.

"Aubrey." I keep my answers short, trying to gage her attitude.

"Ya've been visiting my husband an awful lot girlie." Her eyes narrow. "Now why would some young club whore chase a married man?" Her tone stays pleasant despite her nasty words.

"Maybe you should talk to Filip about that." I turn to leave and she grabs my arm. She backs me up against the hallway wall and speaks quietly in my ear.

"He will always be mine. That's never gonna change. Yer just some sloppy distraction for him. Ya just watch how he runs back to me. If ya know what's good for ya, ya'll leave my sweet boy alone." She whispers.

"Or what Fiona?" My eyes bore into hers with a challenge.

"We'll see who he ends up with." She turns and walks away.

* * *

We head back to Jax's house. I don't tell Tara about the confrontation but she can tell I'm distracted.

"What did you need to talk about?" My eyes stay trained on the houses passing by.

"Do you think we have to worry about this bail hearing?" She asks; her gaze trained on the road ahead when I turn to look at her.

"I don't know. If they go in, it won't be for too long. Not like Op." My head starts to hurt thinking about that court hearing. "We're all gonna get through this Tara. It's not like this is the worst thing that's happened recently."

"Yeah." She leaves it at that but I can tell her mind isn't in the car anymore.

* * *

When we walk in, Neeta greets us with a worried look. She turns her head to the living room and we walk in farther. That arrogant, shady ATF gash is sitting on the couch, her mouth curled up in a sickening grin. I lunge for her but she moves faster than my body allows.

"Now, now. You wouldn't wanna end up in jail while you're still recovering from that little 'burglary'." She stares at my forearms pointedly.

"Why the fuck are you here?" I ask her through gritted teeth. Tara ushers Neeta out behind me and races back in. She places Abel in my arms and pulls me aside.

"Why don't you take your nephew to the kitchen? I'll call Jax." She pushes me gently through the doorway. I place Abel in his highchair and sit down, dejectedly.

* * *

By the time Jaxson gets to the house, it's a blessing the bitch is still alive. I pace the kitchen. He stares at me, worried when he sees the lack of color in my face. I follow behind him as he steps into the living room; immediately pulling Tara close to him.

"Look at you. Ozzie and Harriet." Stahl coos at Jaxson and Tara

"Shut up bitch." I snap at her.

"I was just curious, Jax, why are you leaving SAMCRO?" She smiles again.

"Who the fuck told you about that?" I fail to keep my anger in check. Jaxson asks Tara to wait for him in the nursery and she grabs my arm on the way down the hall to drag me with. Not able to stand it anymore, I jerk away from her and head outside. The door slams loudly behind me.

The fresh air triggers my panic attack, the anger and hate I'm feeling bubbles up inside. I type out a quick text to Kip, asking him to come get me with the truck. By the time he arrives, I can't get away from the house fast enough. I just want to get to the clubhouse and find Filip.

* * *

He's sitting in the garage alone and miserable. I worry he might be still suffering from the explosion.

"What's going on baby?" I ask, jarring him from his thoughts.

"Just a shite day is all." He mumbles, turning his phone over in his hands. I reach over to him, letting his hair slide through my fingertips.

"You're home, how can it be bad already?" I ask. His phone comes to life and he looks down at it. The next minute he's on his feet and rushing out of the garage.

"I gotta go." He says; his face full of panic.

"What? You can't." I tell him.

"Fiona needs ta see me. Don't tell the guys. I'll be back." I'm left speechless, as he races off to be with his wife. Her words from the hospital echo in my head.

Jaxson arrives as Filip is leaving. He makes a beeline for me, grabs my arm and leads me away.

"Stahl bein here, that's no one's business." He tells me, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, I get that. Not good for anyone to find out she's here on top of everything else." I nod. He notices the look on my face. "What's goin on?"

"Filip got a text from Fiona and rushed off to be with her. I ran into her at the hospital you know? We had a rather interesting conversation." I explain. "Again, that's one of these many secrets we're dancing around here."

"Yeah. I know how that weight sits lately. I'm sorry you're under it with me." He kisses my forehead. "I gotta go take the wrath of my mother. Any advice?"

"Yeah send it to her in a postcard." I laugh and he walks away.

* * *

I sit in the clubhouse with the laptop and some inventory records. I'm lost in the music blaring out of my headphones and disregard everything going on around me. A few of the guys attempt to joke with me and stop when they see I'm not in the mood. I focus on the work in front of me and ignore the random thoughts that plague my brain.

The mood among the guys is heavy and tense. I know most of it has to do with Jaxson. Opie and I have barely talked; he's been on Clay's hip since he got back from his trip. I get sick of waiting for Filip to get back from his rescue mission with his wife and finally finish up my stuff. I leave without a word to anyone and go straight home.

I curl up in my recliner, trying hard to keep my sanity; everything falling down at once. I'm sick of all the secrets and lies. My family is falling apart in front of me and I can't stop it. I pick up a photo album from the table near by and rifle through it. The pictures hold less appeal now that I know the truth behind the bogus smiles.

My phone lights up and I groan.

_I need to talk to you._

Gemma's text doesn't leave much room for argument.


	31. Chapter 31

When I pull in the driveway, Jaxson's bike roars in behind me.

"What's going on?" He asks as he and Tara jump off the bike.

"I don't know, your mother calls, we all jump." I say; my voice laced with acid.

We walk in and sit at the table, waiting for Gemma. My irritation grows the longer it takes. When she walks in; Jaxson stands up. His face turns angry at the sight of Clay.

"Sit down, both of you." She says to the men who do as they're told. Tara and I turn to leave.

"No, you stay. You're both a part of this." She says. Tara and I sigh, knowing that she's going to spill the truth surrounding our injuries.

Gemma details what happened the night of Bobby's party, everything after. She explains what happened to me. Their eyes flicker between us with pained, angry expressions. Tears flow as she continues and she reaches out to touch my shaking hand. Jaxson's face twists into pure fury as she goes on. Clay stares at both of us.

When she tells them my story, I stand and Tara helps me lift my shirt, showing them the large swastika on my back. Even Jax hadn't seen that. When she is finished, he is livid. He stands up and moves to his mother's side, pulling her hands in his own. Tara helps me up so I can go home. Clay wraps me in a tight hug that I force myself to return. My stomach turns with the secrets I know. On the way out the door, Jaxson picks up his VP patch from the counter.

* * *

Filip doesn't come home until late. I stay up, waiting for him. When I hear his bike come to stop outside, I open the door and wait in the entryway. His disappearing act has me on edge. He stumbles in the door, drunk and angry.

"Feel better?" I ask without a hint of sympathy. He stares up at me from the couch that he fell into.

"Nah, everyone's got secrets." He slurs. "Jaxson, Clay, Tig, Fiona and ya."

"And you're the king of honesty?" I ask, my irritation seeping through.

"Ya hid shit from me. Didn't tell me Jax was goin NOMAD, Caracara going down." He spits out at me.

"You left for an entire day and didn't call, didn't text. You rushed off to be with your wife. The one you see daily. You don't tell me anything." I yell back. My breaking point finally reached. The words flow out of me. "It's been non-stop chaos and drama; Injury and near-death experiences. Even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't."

"No but ya could tell Unser, Gemma and Tara. Why don't ya try telling me the truth? Ya really think I'm dumb enough ta believe two punk kids were stupid enough ta rob TM but smart enough ta get away with it?" His eyes are scary dark.

"You want to know what happened to me." I scream; undressing before he can even answer. I peel my shirt off carefully. There are several symbols still visible in my skin, the worst on my back and abdomen. He stares, blinking his eyes.

"This is what happened to me. Those Nazi assholes used me as a cutting board." My sobs choke off any added words. He stands up, suddenly sober. I wait for him to comfort me, to pull me into his arms but instead he walks past me, leaving me there. Outside I hear his bike roar to life and disappear down the street.

* * *

I stay holed up in my house the entire next day. Opie and dad call all morning after finding out what happened from Clay. When I don't answer the phone they finally stop by. I roll my eyes when my brother bursts through my door like some super cop.

"What do you want Opie?" I stand in the kitchen, leaning against the counter.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He demands; dad watches from the living room, the tell-tale signs of a hangover on his face.

"I didn't want you going off all half-cocked and starting a war on Main St. This isn't some pissing contest; these guys are willing to kill. I couldn't stand the thought of losing anyone else." I keep my voice smooth and calm. "These guys are ballsy and smart."

"They're dead." His eyes are full of hate; pure rage. He slams his hand on the counter and I flinch away from him. He notices and his demeanor changes instantly, stepping over to give me a hug. "I'm sorry Bree."

Dad watches us dumbfounded.

"Let me see." He finally breaks his silence.

I turn around, pulling my hair up so they can see the damage. I feel Opie's finger trace over one of the lingering bruises on my shoulder. Dad growls through a sharp intake of air and walks over to us. I pull up the lower part of my tank top, revealing a few more injured areas.

"Weston?" My brother asks. I only nod in response.

They stick around only until they're convinced I'm ok. When I'm alone again, I lock the door and throw my phone on my dresser. For the rest of the day I lay in bed and shut out the world.

* * *

After the sun goes down, Tara stops by; using the extra key I gave her for emergencies. I pretend to sleep while she checks me over, waiting for her to leave.

When I'm alone again, I shift in bed, reaching out to the spot where Filip usually sleeps. His anger and frustration last night are justified. I never should have kept that from him. He was one to talk. I still had no clue what was going on with that bitch wife of his. I understood the need to protect his daughter or take care of her but why not tell me about it.

I move to the couch and turn on the TV, settling on some stupid sales pitch. My phone rings from the bedroom and I slowly walk in to answer it.

"Jaxson, just leave me alone. I don't have anything to say to anyone. I don't care that y'all told my dad and brother. Just leave me alone." I almost hang up on him until I hear his voice.

"Op knows. Tig confessed about Donna." He tells me, his voice haunting and scary.

"Where is he?" I ask; my imagination on overdrive.

"I don't know, I think he's goin after Stahl." I sigh, biting back tears.

"You know what Jaxson, there's nothing I can do about that."

"What are you talking about? Something going on?" He is worried.

"Ask Filip." I hang up without another word. This time, I turn my phone off. I slip out the battery for good measure. After making sure the doors locked and lights are off, I return to the couch with no intention of dealing with an interruption.

* * *

I barely move from my spot for the rest of the night and into the next day. Sleep never comes. Sometime during my self-inflicted solitary confinement; Gemma and Tara show up at my doorstep. This time, there's no getting rid of them. Tara lets herself in and Gemma barrels in behind her.

"What is going on?" She demands, turning off the power on the TV.

"Jesus Christ. What the fuck do you guys want from me?" I sigh.

"Miss Mary fucking sunshine." Gemma crosses the room and sits down on the couch next to me. "You need to get dressed, come with us. There's shit going down."

"Of course it is. I really just don't care." I dismiss her with a grunt. "I am sick of shit going down."

"What is going on with you?" She slaps my leg lightly.

"I'm sick of the lies, the secrets. It's all everyone does now. Fuck this shit. Filip wants to run back to his gash of a wife, let him. My brother wants to check out on the world, his kids, let him. I want to sit here and learn all about this amazing new kitchen device; then get the fuck out of my house and let me. If we all just minded our own fucking business, maybe we wouldn't wanna kill each other." I scream.

"Are you drunk?" She asks.

"What do you mean if Filip wants to run back to his wife? Did something happen?" Tara picks up on what Gemma missed. I look down at my hands.

"Something's always happening Tara. Where the hell you been?" I snap.

Both women watch me, their mouths hanging open.

"Baby, he's at the garage, broken up about somethin. I just left him there in tears." Gemma rubs my arm.

"Then call his wife." I turn my attention back to the TV.

Gemma realizes the conversation is over and watches me carefully. Tara's phone rings and she steps into the kitchen to take it. I don't hear what she's saying but after a while she comes back, handing me the phone.

"Bree, why aren't you answering your phone?" Jaxson's voice is crazed.

"I'm sick of talking." I reply curtly.

"Listen, I'm on my way into church. I'm stopping by with Tara after." He explains.

"No, don't." I tell him.

"No arguments, I'll kick the fucking door in if I have to." He promises.

I hang up on him and toss the phone back to Tara. Without a word to either of them, I stand up from the couch and march into my bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind me.

* * *

I fall asleep for a little bit, my dreams laced with Donna's motionless body, my attack and my brother's expression from the night she died. Jaxson's hushed voice stirs me from my restless sleep.

"We need to talk." He is perched on the edge of my bed alone. I have no clue how he got through the door and I really don't care.

"I can't stand anymore secrets Jaxson." Tears automatically well in my eyes. "I just can't do it."

"Come on, I'll tell you one, you tell me one." He turns, bringing his knee up on my bed. I play along, filling him in on Filip and Fiona. He tells me about my dad shooting up the clubhouse and Opie forgiving the betrayal.

"He left me there, on the ground. He's disgusted. How can he not be?" I admit for the first time out loud.

"Filip almost turned on Jimmy O' to save his wife and kid." He whispers.

"I'm done Jaxson. I can't do this anymore." I break down; sobbing loudly. My breath comes out in hitches and breaks. He rubs his hand up and down my arm. He doesn't try to reassure me. He doesn't offer any comforting words. He just allows me to fall apart.

"You and Chibs will work it out." He tries to reassure me when my crying subsides. He gets me a cool rag and I wipe it over my face, relieving the heat from the tears.

"No, I can't date someone in the club; I can't date someone with a wife and family. I'm too caught up in the bullshit as it is. I don't deserve him. I lied to him. I became something I hated, holding on to information until it served my needs. I should have been honest in the beginning."

"You just need some sleep. I'm leaving. I'll lock you in but I'll be back in the morning." He kisses me on the forehead and leaves. I notice my reassembled phone on the night stand. I pick it up and see there are no missed calls or texts from Filip; just my brother, dad and even Mary. I toss it back to the table and lay down. Sleep doesn't come again, leaving me to toss and turn


	32. Chapter 32

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a job to get to?" I ask when Tara walks into the garage, dressed casually and holding on to Abel. I reach out and snatch my nephew from her, cooing to him as I cuddle him.

"Uh, actually I'm suspended." She looks down at her feet.

"What?" I turn back to face her; shocked and confused.

"Yeah, the administrator at the hospital hates me. Well she actually hates the club and Gemma." She's clearly faking her indifference.

"Wanna go get lunch?" She nods in agreement and I hand Abel back to her before telling Lowell where I'll be. As we walk toward her car, Filip and Jaxson pull in. Fillip jumps off his bike and for a moment, I think he's going to come over and talk to me. I fight to hide the disappointment when he walks to the garage without even a glance my way. Jaxson makes his way toward us.

"What's going on?" He asks Tara, his face full of concern.

"We're going to lunch. Need someone to talk to. I think she does too." She drops her voice at the last part but I still hear her. I lower myself into the passenger side of her car carefully. Most of the pain is gone but a wrong move can send a wave of burning pain through my body.

"Here, let me take the boy. Ma is here and the other girls are coming in to prep the clubhouse for the lockdown. You both got your shit yet?" He asks, looking though the car window at me.

"We'll go get her stuff and I've got mine in the trunk." She reassures him while she hands Abel and his bag to daddy. Abel wiggles in excitement and starts to blabber. I smile at the two of them.

"Be safe. Prospect's gonna follow you but he'll stay back." He signals Half-Sack over to us.

* * *

Tara and I cut lunch short when the older Hale brother sauntered into the diner sneering at us. The hatred he had for the club mixed with his own version of greed is a dangerous combination. I had seen how the two emotions easily walked the same volatile tightrope. Greed and hatred caused tragedy and chaos in my own fragile little world and it made me nauseated to think about everything those two feelings bore.

The ride back to my house is silent. Half-Sack keeps his distance, never losing sight of us. He parks behind my garage, leaning against his bike to wait for us.

"You have to talk to him." Tara says as I pull a few extra blankets out of the closet. "We're going to be locked together in that clubhouse tonight."

"I don't have to and I'm not going to. Right now is not the time to focus on this shit." I grab a bag out of the closet and go to the bathroom for my toiletries. Something is off but I can't quite figure out what. It sends the hair on the back of my neck on edge.

"You're just going to let him go without a fight?" She crosses her arms and leans against the doorway.

"I fucked up Tara and he deserves better. I can't keep going through this. I walked a fine line growing up. I lived in this life, hovering around the outside, always praising it for the truth and family it provided. Now I feel like I stepped through the curtain and saw Oz for the simple old man he was. The lies and betrayal once you're pulled all the way in are not worth it. Look at what we turned into overnight. I became Gemma. Playing games and telling lies like I was some kind of teenager." She listens to my rant with a curious expression.

"Are you afraid he isn't gonna forgive you?" She asks simply. Her eyes recognizing something in me I had tried to hide. "You are. You don't know that Bree. Filip knows you didn't do it out of spite and greed. You just need to sit down and talk to him."

"And tell him what Tara? That he doesn't know half the shit I hid from him? That I'm jealous of Fi, that I knew Clay killed Donna moments after her funeral, that I wanted Jaxson to take you and Abel far away from here? Which one should I start with here?" There's a general lack of tears left to cry. I finish my rant without emotion and step into the bedroom. I notice exactly what is wrong in one glance. "He gave up, why shouldn't I? He came and got his stuff today."

He hadn't officially moved in but with spending his nights here, I had accumulated a mass collection of his clothes and things. Now, it was all gone leaving the room empty and somewhat more depressing. The anger building in me since I lost my sister suddenly erupts. No tears escape but low guttural growling and screams break through my chest. In one sudden movement, I sweep everything from my dresser, sending picture frames, perfume and my jewelry box flying against the wall, shattering loudly. My hands scream in pain when I rip the pictures off the wall, throwing them hard to the floor.

The pain and loss my family has suffered spur my rage. Tara runs to the front of the house to get Kip. I grip the edge of my nightstand, tossing it over as the lamp and clock explode in a loud crash that echoes through the house. With one final ounce of energy, I swing my arm through my stand up mirror and instant pain swells in my hand. Tara and Half-Sack run into the room, stunned at the damage. Half-Sack steps through the broken glass and picks me up, noticing that my bare feet already have some minor cuts. He carries me into the kitchen and sets me down at the table.

I zone out, disappearing into my own head. I don't say a word as Tara makes quick work of picking the glass out of my hand fixing up the new injuries I caused. A few moments later, Jaxson bursts through my door with Piney close behind him. My face is still burning and my breathing is shallow. Tara nods her head toward the damage and both men rush to my room.

Kip sits down in the chair Tara vacates when she goes to the room to talk with the two stunned men alone. It doesn't take long before she returns with my full bag. I refuse to move from the chair. Jaxson grabs my arm to help me out and my senses return, fresh rage pours out of me as I throw wild punches at him. He grabs my wrists, pulling me to his chest and crushing me into his arms. I fight him the entire way.

"Fuck you Jaxson, let me go!" I scream through tears and thrash against him. He leans over and picks me up, tossing me over his shoulder and carrying me out. He shoves me in the backseat of Tara's car.

"Stop it or I will get some handcuffs." Jaxson yells at me as I push and fight against him to get out of the car. I shock even myself when I slap him hard across the face. I half expect him to hit me back but instead he slams the car door.

"Get her to the clubhouse before she does something stupid. . . again!" He growls at Tara before we take off. I drown in angry silence during the ride.

* * *

The clubhouse is packed solid. I head straight to the bar, taking a seat behind it. My childish fit has subsided but my anger hasn't. An almost full bottle of Jack beckons to me and I oblige, downing a couple of shots in one swig. Jaxson watches me as I drink. He makes eye contact with Happy and the two have some kind of silent exchange. Happy flops down in the seat across from me at the bar, his hand held out for the bottle. I take another shot, keeping my eyes locked with his. He stares at me, his eyebrow cocked in surprise. I only stop when the burn becomes too much. No one else pays much attention to our exchange but I can tell he's on the verge of making some kind of scene. I brace myself for whatever he plans.

A loud whistle rips through the crowd, effectively saving me from the riot act Happy was about to deliver. Clay steps up on a chair and looks around us. He welcomes the family and explains the situation. Some of the ladies shift uncomfortably, looking at me. I can only imagine the sight, my hair a mess, my make-up smeared, two days' worth of black circles under my eyes and the red burning color in my cheeks.

When the speech is over, Mary turns to speak with Piney, both of their eyes darting to me. Anticipating the lecture and arguments, I make a quick escape down the hall to Jaxson's room, bottle in hand.

Perched on the edge of the bed, I easily finish the bottle, while the thoughts rip through me. I feel raw and antsy; I want to crawl out of my own skin. Each sip burns away another exposed nerve. Slowly the numbness starts to take control and any concern I had fades into a slurred existence. No one interrupts my slip into insanity and I slowly fall into a hard darkness.


	33. Chapter 33

I finally emerge a few hours later; on a mission to find more alcohol. I'm several steps beyond insanely drunk. Gemma notices me stumbling through the hallway and sends Happy over to intercept.

"Baby girl, what are you doing?" He whispers as he pulls me into his chest and pushes my hair away from my face.

"Thirsty." I mumble into his shirt.

"No, I think you need some sleep." He tries to turn me back to the dorm room and a burst of drunken courage and energy rushes through me. I shove him off of me in a half-hearted attempt, yelling at him. He falls loudly against the wall in shock.

"Stop fucking telling me what I need! None of you know what the fuck I need!" I scream with a slur, no logic to my words. The bar falls silent, everyone turning to watch.

Opie pushes through some gawking crow-eaters, enjoying the embarrassment of someone who frequently disrespects them. He picks me up in one swift movement and storms down the hall to Jaxson's room with only a couple of angry strides. He marches into the bathroom and throws me into the shower and turns the water on full blast. Freezing cold water bounces of my skin, soaking and shocking me into hyperventilation. I try to escape but he stands holding me firmly under the water.

"You wanna act like a fucking child; I'll treat you like one." He snarls at me through clenched teeth.

Finally when he's convinced I'm something resembling human, he shuts the water off and throws me a towel. He marches back out the door and slams it loudly. I step out of the tub tentatively and peel my wet clothes off. I wrap the towel around my body and search the dresser for a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. I throw my hair into a loose ponytail and slip my feet into a pair of Nike Sandals.

I step out into the hallway and head for the bar. Several people stop to stare at my sudden re-emergence and my drastic change in appearance. My buzz is starting to fade away, leaving a rolling stomach and a growing pain in my head. I sit down on a stool next to Gemma and Tara.

"Coffee?" One of the more tolerable regulars offers.

"Please, with some of that Vanilla flavored shit. Oh and something full of grease." She nods at me and turns away.

"Grab her some water and Advil too." Tara tells the girl. "Feel better psycho?" She turns to me with a smirk. I flip her off as my head sinks to the bar.

"Damn, look at my white trash beautiful rock star." Happy's voice ripens the pain in my head. I groan loudly and spin around to face him. Kozik stands next to him and I feel a slow blush creep over my face. Tara turns to see what I'm staring at and she spits her coffee out in laughter.

"Well some things never change. Still a sloppy bitch." He shakes his head at me with a laugh.

"Wouldn't want to disappoint you, ya ugly cocksucker." I slide off the stool and let him wrap me up in an overpowering embrace.

"What was with the little floor show?" He asks, his eyes raking over my body. I just shake my head at him, not wanting to get into it right now.

I shift uncomfortably under his gaze. Kozik and I have an embarrassing history. He is one of the only members of the club I ever flirted with. I followed him like a love sick teenager when I was 17. The night of my graduation party, I drank so much that I threw myself on to him for a kiss followed by me puking on him ceremoniously. It was not one of my finer moments. He teased me mercilessly but it broke the ice between us and we dated briefly until he figured out that he didn't want anything serious. We split up but stayed friends when he left for Tacoma. I never heard the story but knew there was tension between him and Tig.

* * *

The guys are in and out most of the afternoon while we hang out and try to keep the family at peace and the kids entertained. When everyone is finally back, Clay explains how the night is going to work, where everyone will be sleeping. Filip catches my eye across the bar and doesn't break contact. When Clay finishes up, some of us walk outside to send the guys off on their club business. All I know is it has to do with Weston. Opie kisses Lyla passionately before stepping over to me. He puts his hand on the back of my head and pulls me to him, kissing my forehead.

"Don't be a bitch while I'm gone." He tells me. I nod with a smile.

Filip stands at his bike, his body full of tension. Tara's insistence that I talk to him earlier encourages my feet to move toward him. He pushes his sunglasses to his forehead to look at me when I reach him. Without a word, I push myself up on my toes and press my lips to his. He doesn't push me away but the kiss isn't the same. Disappointed, I break away and look to the ground. I turn on my heel and he catches my arm. He pulls me against his chest and holds me tight.

"We'll talk tonight." He whispers as he strokes my hair. His hand comes to rest on the small of my back and a shiver runs through me.

When he finally lets me go and climbs on his bike, I step back and try to calm the rush of heat coursing through me. I walk back toward Tara who puts her arm around me and rests her head against mine. I reach up and hold her hand against my shoulder and we watch the guys roll out of the parking lot followed closely by the black van. The addition of the Tacoma guys helps to ease my fear, but only mildly.

Gemma and Lyla come over to us and we stand there, unspoken concern between us.

"They'll be ok. We'll be ok. Let's get everyone inside." She says, comforting each of us. We follow the Queen into the clubhouse with everyone else to wait for their safe return.

* * *

The next morning, we join the guys outside the Charming PD. They are waiting for news about Weston, Zobelle and his daughter. I hang back as the group crowds around Wayne when he comes out with an update. Lyla and Opie stroll over to me.

"Hangin in there Bree?" Opie asks, lighting a cigarette.

"Yeah. Sorry about yesterday. I was stupid." I tell him, looking up at him from behind my sunglasses. I'm still recovering from my self-induced torture.

"It happens." I can tell he is still worried. "Why don't you and Lyla head back to the clubhouse? Make sure you're safe. No detours." Opie dictates. The pretty blond nods and we get into her car. Happy and Kozik follow us back to the clubhouse where we wait for word from the rest of our family. After making sure we're inside and safe, they head back to join the boys.


	34. Chapter 34

I turn my phone over in my hand, slipping it easily through my fingers in a fluid movement. The screen lights up again with the gentle push of a button. The large white numbers glow. Time has stopped moving, quickly causing me unrest and irritation. Lyla pulls herself into the seat next to mine. She slides a mug of coffee toward me followed by a small bottle of Bailey's. I grin at her and top off the warm liquid.

"They're ok." She says; her voice perky and optimistic. I don't know much about the porn star but she seems to make my brother smile and that's all I can hope for right now.

"How's he been?" I ask, wrapping my hands around the mug. Kenny, Ellie and Piper play nicely with some of the other kids close by. They look as if the cloud surrounding them over the last months has finally lifted.

"He still misses her. How can he not? But each day, he opens up a little more." She tells me.

"Good. How do you do it?" She gives me a look of confusion. "No offense, I'm onlyasking out of curiosity. But how do you live with the ghost of a wife? I mean Filip loved Fiona with everything he was. How do I convince myself that he's not thinking of her when we're together?"

"I don't have the answer to that yet sweetie. When I do, you'll be the first to hear it." She pats my arm.

The sound of footsteps catches my attention and I turn to the door as some of the guys walk in, staring dejectedly at the floor. Jaxson, my brother and Filip are not with them. My heart leaps to my throat and Lyla's hand tightens on my arm. She stares at Clay, panic all over her face.

"They followed Weston. They're ok, should be back soon." He whispers to us and they line up at the bar.

I rush around the other side and start pouring drinks. They smile at me with pitiful gratitude and we fall back into our silent wait. Minutes crawl by until the three men come in, somber expressions fixed on their faces. Relief at their reappearance washes over me.

"Where's Tara?" Jaxson asks when I hand him a shot.

"She went with Gemma and Half-Sack to get supplies. Don't worry." I hug him. "Thank God you're back."

"It's taken care of. He'll never hurt you again." He whispers in my ear.

I close my eyes in silent prayer at the release of those words. He holds me close, murmuring comfort into my ear. He pulls away and brushes my hair behind my ear. I smile at him.

My dad steps between us, telling Jaxson how much he appreciates this and how proud he is.

"I'm just glad my baby girl is safe." His words are slightly slurred. I roll my eyes and pull away from him, turning to head to the dorm rooms. My aching body and head have had enough.

I don't notice when Filip's footsteps fall in line with my own. His sudden presence next to me sends a rush of heat and need through my body. I push the door open to his dorm room and step inside. His scent lingers in the room and I close my eyes against it.

* * *

He shuts the door with a soft click. We stand inches apart, him staring at the back of my head for what feels like hours. The energy and tension between us grows with each unsteady breath. He leans slightly forward and buries his face in the back of my hair. I hear him inhale sharply when I lean back into him, his chest pressed against my back. His arms wrap around me, bring me into him and I can't stop myself.

My hands move behind my back, massaging his hips and thighs. He tightens his grip against me and places his hand gently over my throat, guiding my head to the side. His mouth attacks the exposed skin on my neck and electricity courses through my nerves, sparking each one as his kissing becomes more aggressive and desperate.

I turn to face him and he pushes me backward to the bed. We both scramble to get out of our clothes and he quickly covers my body with his own, his hand tracing down my side, stopping at some of the still visible cuts. He stops when he notices the new damage to my hand. His eyes watch my face with a pained expression and I press my lips to his trying to comfort him in the process. My hands slide up to his neck and into the back of his hair, pulling his lips to meet my skin at my neck and chest. His mouth hungrily sucks in each of my nipples in turn; eliciting small mewls and sighs from me.

He reaches down, moving my leg gently to the side. He positions himself over me and slowly presses into me. Each movement he makes relaxes my muscles until I am melting against him. My cries grow louder and he silences them with deep passionate kisses. His steady, deep thrusts send me over the edge and I dig my nails into his back, drawing a small amount of blood in the process. He slams against me hard, prolonging my orgasm until he crashes into me, emptying himself inside of me with a loud growl that I'm sure anyone in the clubhouse heard.

He rolls off of me and pulls me against his chest. I sigh in contentment as he lights a cigarette. Neither of us says a word and soon I'm relaxing into him. A soft knock at the door interrupts our peace.

"We gotta go Chibs." Happy's voice is serious and grim. I close my eyes, fighting the tears and push myself away from him.

"Aye, I'll be there in a second." His voice is raw and gruff. I go to the dresser, pulling out fresh clothes. He slides his jeans on and secures his belt before coming to stand next to me. I turn into his bare chest and curl into him.

"I love you Bree." He says, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

"I love you too Filip." I choke out the words and he holds me while hot tears splatter against his chest.

"I'll be back baby girl. We'll talk then." He reassures me before pulling his shirt on.

I dress quickly and we walk out to the clubhouse, his arm wrapped tightly around me. The guys are heading into the Chapel and he joins them. Lyla comes to stand by me with a gentle smile.

* * *

"Get to my house. Now!" Jaxson's voice is frantic and scared when I answer. "Leave everyone else there." I hear his voice break and I know it's serious. We waited for hours for news from them and this is the type of call I had dreaded with each passing minute.

"Lyla, I gotta go. You ok here?" I call to her without waiting for her answer. I break every traffic law as I race through town, squealing into the driveway. Several squad cars skid to a stop in front of the house as I hurry through the door, stopping at the sight on the kitchen floor. Half-Sack is lying sprawled out on the kitchen floor surrounded by blood. My hand flies to my mouth and I gag.

"Tara!" I call into the house. Her sobs come from Abel's room. When I hit the doorway, she's sitting on the bed her face an odd color and expression. She looks up at me and breaks down into body wracking weeping. I sit down next to her, pulling her too me. She grips the sleeves of my sweatshirt and screams into my arms. The sound chills me to my core. Jaxson's nowhere to be found.

"He took Abel." She stutters and sobs. "Abel's gone." I freeze, the horror I'm feeling reflected on my face. Hale steps into the room and hesitates at the scene. I lay her down and step into the hallway with him.

"I'll make sure she talks to you when she's able. She just can't do this right now." He nods at me, his face full of understanding. I watch as the coroner zips the black bag around Kip. My heart breaks silently and I can't help but stare at the dark blood staining the floor. Hale and his crew slowly trickle out.


	35. Chapter 35

I throw myself into fixing everything around me. Helping dad with Kip's wake and funeral, providing an ear for Tara while the club deals with the loss of Abel and Gemma, running TM as well as I can and keeping more fucking secrets. The endless cycle is starting to wear thin. I can't stand to be alone with my thoughts so I hadn't stopped moving since finding out about Abel.

The night of the wake a mix of club members and military friends reminisce about the young prospect. We gather around and Filip lays a full patched kutte across the casket. The vote was unanimous. He would have been in heaven tonight at his patch party. I turn away, getting lost in the crowd and stopping to talk to some distant familiar faces, playing hostess. Everyone has a wish of condolence or a memory of Half-Sack. Flashes of Donna's death and funeral flood over me and I need a break. I find an unused room and sit down at a table, hanging my head over the smooth wood. I take several deep breaths, slowing the rising panic in my chest.

"What's going on Aubrey?" Kozik's voice interrupts my meditation.

"Just goin through it." I mutter with no conviction.

"Yeah, I see that." He sits down across from me. "You and Chibs hu?"

"I don't know." I keep my eyes on the table.

"We're all getting outta here, come on." Jaxson leans in the door to interrupt. Kozik stands up and pulls me to my feet.

* * *

We walk out into the fresh air, Juice and Kozik talking on either side of me. I barely listen to their debate while I stare at my feet. The sound of sudden gunfire startles me and something hard hits me, knocking me to the ground but holding me to cushion the fall. Screams and chaos erupt around us for a moment and then eerie silence cuts it off.

I roll to my side and look up at the warm barrier of protection covering me. Kozik looks down at me with an odd expression and I push him off of me. Filip is a short distance away, his body shielding a little boy. I close my eyes in relief that he is ok. My muscles protest when Juice and Happy pull me to my feet.

"You all right sweetie?" Happy looks me over.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I assure him, looking around at the damage to the people gathered to mourn. I rush over to Tara and Lyla; making sure they are uninjured. Filip makes it to my side and pulls me to him.

"I'm good, I'm good." I repeat in an effort to convince him.

He holds me at arms length and looks me over, his hands traveling to the injured areas he knows about. Nothing is damaged. When he's sure I'm in one piece, he walks away without another word. He disappears into the chaos and I join the girls; assessing the damage and calming those terrified.

We all stare as Unser rushes over to a lifeless body in the road. I recognize the uniform and realize its Hale. I watch as Jacob falls over his brother's body and I grimace at the sight. Opie stands next to us, holding Lyla close to him. I reach over and take his hand.

* * *

I step into the house, throwing my purse and keys on the table. I kick my shoes off in my bedroom and throw on a long t-shirt to sleep in before climbing into my bed. Burying myself in the blankets, I try to close my eyes to the images flashing through my head. Sleep evades me again and I finally admit defeat sometime after 1am. Instead I roll to my nightstand, gripping my phone and punching out a quick text.

_Can you come by?_

I wait, hoping for a response. A few moments later the screen lights up in my hand.

_Yeah._

The simple response calms my agitation instantly. I lay awake, waiting for the sound of his bike and leap up when I hear it stop in my driveway. He walks in at the same time I reach the kitchen.

"E'erything al'right sweetheart?" He rushes over to me, his face full of concern.

"I'm sorry Filip. It's nothing like that." I tell him softly. My eyes drop in guilt.

"What is it baby?" He puts his hand on my cheek, rubbing his calloused thumb against it softly.

"I love it when you call me that. I have since that first night." I murmur into his palm, brushing my lips against his skin.

I take his hand in mine and kiss his fingertips, then his palm and finally the pulse point at his wrist. He sighs and leans his head against my forehead. I pull his hand, leading him into the bedroom. I kneel on the bed, turning back to face him. He stands at the edge of my bed, his eyes roaming over me with an almost angry need.

I wait a moment hoping he will make some move, something that lets me know he wants to be here. His eyes dance to my thighs fully exposed under my oversized t-shirt. I slide my legs open a little more and lean back. His hand cautiously reaches out, his fingertips barely touching my skin. A rush of heat erupts throughout my body. The wetness between my legs grows.

Filip unexpectedly grips the front of my shirt and pulls it roughly over my head, leaving me panting and naked. I lean forward and press my chest against his, pulling his face close to mine. His lips touch mine tentatively before backing away again. He gives up his resistance, kissing me roughly. He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and bites it sharply. He pushes me back to the bed. I reach for him as he undresses quickly.

He lays over me, his fingers digging into my hip and pushing me to the mattress. I try to push against him, his strong arm keeping me in place. He uses his knee to push my legs apart. There's nothing gentle in his movements.

Once he's successful, he pulls away from me. With no warning he buries his face between my legs and my body convulses at his touch, spasms rolling through me as he relentlessly and expertly manipulates me with his tongue. I buck against him wildly when a rough orgasm drives me back into the mattress harder. A low primal groan fills the air as I shudder under him.

He doesn't waste a moment between my final spasm and when he presses himself all the way into me in one violent push of his hips. I wrap my arms and legs around him, encouraging him to bury himself deep inside me and accepting him completely.

He raises my thigh up his side as he thrusts into me. He moans when I constrict against him, tightening around his cock as I came undone under his body. He speeds up to an insane pace and I arch my back against him as he finally groans loudly and presses his head against my chest. His hips twitch against me as we lay there spent and wrapped up in one another. I refuse to let him move, not able to give up our moment.

* * *

"I missed you Bree. I can't stand this." He mutters as he readjusts us to hold me against his body. I struggle to catch my breath before the tears overflow. "I've been goin crazy not bein here with ya. I need my girl."

Tears stream down my face and I sit up, turning away from him. He grabs me and pulls me to him.

"No, yer not goin anywhere. Yer gonna stay here and let me hold ya. Come here angel." His words coax me back to him and I lay over his chest.

"We make a poor excuse for a couple. You push me away and I run, it's a winning combination." I say against his chest. He grunts in agreement.

"It's yer fault. If ya weren't so damn stubborn." He yawns, stretching his arms above his head.

"I shouldn't have hid things from you. I should have told you everything from the beginning, no excuses." I look up into his face, searching for some sign of forgiveness. "Jax and I have been doing this whole complete honesty thing. It makes it easier to talk."

He slowly rubs his fingertips over my shoulder.

"Yeah, you and Jaxson hu?" I hear the jealous tone in his voice and shake my head.

"Yes. He's my brother Filip, that's all. It started when I was still at the hospital. It's like a game, he tells me some truth, I tell him some. We balance the secrets so neither of us is carrying a burden alone."

"So ya want the truth?" He thinks for a moment. "I considered a deal with Stahl, offered ta turn in Jimmy O."

The words hang in the air. I don't press him to elaborate or give me details; that is not how the game works. I swallow against the growing lump in my throat. Fiona's voice taunts me in the back of my head.

"I heard." I tell him. "Clay put a hit out on Opie. I found out at Donna's funeral. There wasn't any proof at that time, but I knew in my gut."

"I did it to protect Karianne." He pauses and I hold my breath. "And Fiona."

"I knew about Jax leaving before anyone else. He wanted to leave because he found proof that Clay was responsible for Donna's death. He confronted Clay and the old man threatened to kill Jax if the club found out. It was gonna turn bloody and he wanted to get out while he could. I wanted that for him." I continue, trying to ignore the hate her name stirs up in me.

"I kissed Fiona. I might have done more if she didn't pull away." His voice is barely audible and I struggle to stay still. I don't speak again; afraid my voice is going to give away the pain in my chest. He listens to my ragged breathing for a moment. "Say somethin darlin'." Unable to hold it all in anymore, the words pour out of me before I can stop them.

"I'm afraid that when you're with me-inside of me; that you are wishing it was her. I'm afraid that you're not going to be able to forgive me, or that I don't want to forgive you. I'm afraid that the next dead body on the pavement or the kitchen floor is going to be someone else that I care about, especially you. I see your dead body every time I close my God damn eyes." My voice steadily rises with each angry admission; there are no more tears I can let out as I continue. "I'm afraid that we're falling apart and I don't know how to stop it. I'm afraid of everything I feel for you cuz I've never felt this way before. I'm disgusted at the lies I told and secrets I held on to. I became someone, something unrecognizable and terrifying."

My word vomit threatens to turn literal as nausea rolls over me. I push myself off of him, running for the bathroom and barely making it before every ounce of fear and stress I've been holding onto rushes out of me in violent heaving that makes my body scream. Filip sits on the edge of my bed, his head in his hands.

I curl up next to the tub, my cheek pressed firmly against the cool porcelain. The contrast in temperature sends a chill throughout my body.

"Are you all right?" His voice stirs me from my own world. I turn my head slowly toward him, taking a moment to register what he asked me. The movement feels like slow motion and my vision blurs.

"I'm tired Filip. I'm done." I whisper. The last few months finally push me over the edge. My lack of sleep and real food do damage to my mental health and I finally break. The edges of my vision darken and I pass out sliding hard to the floor.


	36. Chapter 36

**Filip's POV**

"She's taking on the world by herself, trying to fix everything and everyone around her. The night we went on lockdown, she trashed her room, put her fist through her mirror and then fought me when I tried to get her to leave. She went back to the club and outdrank Piney, started a sloppy fight with Happy. Opie had to throw her in a cold shower to get her to calm down. Tara and ma told me about it when we got back to the club that day. I gotta tell you brotha, she's hurtin'. That night you left her here, when she showed you what they did to her; you broke her. She thinks you didn't want her." Jaxson takes a deep breath.

"I fucked up." I mutter, staring at my hands.

"Make it right, dumbass." Jaxson says, as if it were that fucking simple.

"This shit with Fiona and Kerianne. I don't know how ta make that right. I can't just leave them in Jimmy's hands. I know it's killin' Aubrey. I see it in her eyes when she looks at me." I feel like shite after listening to her earlier. I hadn't realized what kinda pain she was in. "But Fiona's my wife, mother of my child."

"You gotta choose. I understand wanting to rescue your daughter Chibs. I'm on that same path, but you can't keep letting Fi come between you two unless that's what you want." Jaxson says. I don't answer him, unsure if I can let Fiona go completely.

"Aye, Jackie. But that ain't an easy question brotha?" I close my eyes and run my hands through my hair.

"Fiona threatened her, said she could take you from Bree anytime she wanted. You rushing off to save her, just hits that fact home to Bree." Jaxson lowers his voice.

"She deserves better." I mutter.

"She does but for some reason, you're the ugly motherfucker she wants." Jaxson smirks at me, gripping my shoulder tight.

* * *

**Aubrey's POV**

I lay there, completely still eavesdropping on the two men. I try to keep my lip from quivering as I listen to Filip being torn between his wife and mistress. My breath catches once or twice but I cover it easily with a movement. I hated every second that passed and I heard more from him.

Once Jaxson leaves, I wait several minutes before opening my eyes. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but to see him sitting in the chair next to my bed, looking distraught and lost was the last thing.

"How ya feelin'?" He asks, sitting up a little farther when he realizes I'm awake.

"I'm fine." I try to bite back the cold tone to my voice.

"No yer not. Yer hurt baby." He says; I hang my head when he calls me that.

"I'm fine Filip. I just had a moment of insanity. I'm allowed those, you've met my family." I try my best to give him a true smile. I'm not sure if he believes it.

"Ya need some rest." I lie back against the pillows. "Ya want me ta stay?"

"That's up to you. I'm just gonna pass back out." I keep my voice light and nonchalant. He realizes I'm shutting him out.

"What is this?" He's angry.

"I heard you and Jaxson." I tell him, deciding on honesty. He rests his elbows on his knees and holds his head in his hands. His silence makes me angry and before I can stop the words from coming out of my mouth. "I think you need to go. Just do whatever you need to do for Fiona and Kerianne. When you make up your mind, let me know."

"Bree, don't baby." His voice is thick and his accent vibrates through the air.

"No, you need to focus on the club, your family." I grind my teeth and lock my jaw against the words threatening in my mind. The loud obnoxious screaming fear in my head, the one begging me to keep him here, telling me that I should be holding him close is barely kept at bay.

He stands up and walks over to me. He leans down and kisses the top of my head before he leaves.

* * *

I walk into the garage early the next day, hiding the effects of my sleepless night and initial break down flawlessly. False confidence and indifference settle into my movements, convincing the guys in the garage that I had either completely lost my mind or finally found it. Either way, they all stay away. The guys gather in the parking lot while I work in the office with the door open. A steady breeze is keeping me cool.

"You should wear your glasses instead of your contacts more often." Jaxson scoffs.

"You got some kind of weird librarian fetish Teller?" I joke with him, no real humor in my voice.

"Maybe I do." He laughs and comes in to sit down. I put down the paperwork and look up at him, easily slipping a mask of contentment on.

"How you feelin today Bree?"

"I'm good. I got some sleep last night." I tell him. "What's going on?" I point out the door at the gathering bikes and men.

"Goin to get ma. We're takin her North, we got a lead on Abel. I want you here at the clubhouse while we're gone." He explains. I nod my head and my eyes follow Filip as he stalks across the lot, tossing his bag violently into the van. I can see the anger written on his face from this distance. He stops and stares when he notices that I'm watching him. I look away and Jaxson catches the moment I let my guard down. "What the hell happened?" He asks, his eyes dancing between Filip and I.

"Something that should have happened months ago." I lower my eyes to the papers in front of me.

"What did he do?" Jaxson stares at Filip's back as the man turns back into the clubhouse.

"Nothing. I just couldn't be the other woman. I refuse to be the one to make him choose. I want him to be with me because his heart is in it, not because he feels obligated to stay with me to keep the peace in the club." The pen I'm signing the invoices with shakes violently in my hand and I drop it so that Jaxson doesn't see.

"What are you talking about baby girl?" He comes to stand next to my chair, squatting low to the ground and looking up at me. His hand wraps gently around my twitching palm.

"I heard you guys last night. I heard how much the idea of Jimmy hurting Fiona tore him apart. He's not over her. He needs to figure that out first. I can't be some kind of consolation prize. I deserve to be someone's first choice." I let the words rush out of me.

"Things are gonna be ok Aubrey. We're gonna get through this. All of us, we will." He kisses the back of my hand. "Jesus Christ, I sound like Gemma."


	37. Chapter 37

Kozik, Happy and I stand in the garage, talking as the other guys get ready to leave. I barely pay attention to their conversation as I watch Filip out of the corner of my eye. He is leaning against the railing, his sunglasses pushed up on his forehead. Whatever Tig is talking to him about doesn't register with him. His eyes are trained on us.

"I'm gonna head back to Tacoma, finish up this transfer shit." Kozik assures Happy. "I'll be back."

"You gonna stay at the clubhouse? We got extra room. I'll get one of the dorms set up for you." I squint against the sun when I look up at him.

"Yeah, that'd be great Bree. You gonna be ok?" He turns and looks over his shoulder at Filip and Tig who are both staring now.

"I really wish people would stop asking me that. I know it's hard for you guys to remember this but I am a chick and sometimes we have these freak out moments. I'm good now; just needed to lose it for a little while, I guess." I easily slip behind the armor I've been putting up for everyone else and plaster a smile on my face.

"Well you played psycho very well. I thought maybe I was rubbing off on you." Happy teases. Jaxson walks over and joins us.

"Happy, as much as I enjoy the mental image of you rubbing off on me, I don't think I'd make a good partner in crime. You'd be too distracted staring at my ass." I hide behind the sarcastic armor. Jaxson raises his eyebrow.

"Am I interrupting?" He asks, smiling at the Tacoma Killer.

"Not yet but stick around and things could get real interesting." Happy laughs as he stands behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. He kisses my cheek gently. "He needs to see what he's missing." He whispers in my ear and I suddenly appreciate how well the man knows me. Filip walks toward the black van and I hear the distinct sound of his fist hitting the panel.

"Oops." Happy smiles and he heads to his bike. Kozik gives me a quick hug before following him.

"I need you to take care of things around here while I'm gone. Tara should be back later today or tomorrow. You three stick together and keep this place locked up tight. We're gonna have some guys here at all times." He watches me carefully expecting some kind of momentary glimpse into my insanity.

"We'll be fine. You go get my nephew and bring his ass back here so I can spoil him rotten." I place my hand on his chest and refuse to meet his eyes. He puts his finger under my chin and forces me to look up at him. "Jaxson, I don't care if he runs back to his wife and they live happily ever after. You just keep him safe either way. I can deal with anything as long as I know he's safe and happy."

"You gonna say goodbye?" He asks.

"No, I don't think I will." I lower my eyes back to my hands. Late last night, after Filip left I had decided to lock all this shit away in my mind and swallow the emptiness I was left with. My problems were nothing compared to the shit we were dealing with now. There was no time to be selfish.

"You should." He leans over and kisses my cheek.

"Make sure you come home to us Jaxson. Give Gemma my love." I hug him. Over his shoulder, I make eye contact with Filip. He stands there for a moment before heading over. My heart drops and I'm not sure I can keep up my façade with him.

"Can I have a minute?" He asks as Jax pulls away. My brother looks at me for confirmation. I nod in agreement.

"I'll call you when we get there." He tells me and jogs off to join the guys.

I head into the office and Filip follows. I sit down at the desk, sinking into the chair and wait for him to say whatever it is on his mind.

"I thought you were off today." He mumbles

"I figured with Gemma gone, it's better if I'm here. Sounds like the club is gonna need all the help it can get with everyone takin off." I shrug.

"So that's it?" He asks; his face tense.

"Yeah. I guess so." I can't bring myself to look at him anymore. I drop my eyes to the paperwork on my desk and sorting through the invoices. He turns and starts to walk out the door. I sigh loudly and throw my pen across the desk. "Be safe Filip. Please, just make sure you come back."

He steps back in the office and closes the door. I turn in my chair to face him and he drops down in front of me, his eyes searching my face for something. I struggle to keep my mask in place.

"We're gonna go get that boy and bring him home ta his family. Then we're gonna work this shit out. I ain't lettin ya push me out love." His eyes pull at my heart.

"I'm not pushing you away. I'm asking you to decide. You can't have both of us. I won't be your mistress or a Fiona substitute." I keep my voice steady somehow. "I deserve more than that."

"Aye, ya do." He takes my hand gently in his and kisses it. I close my eyes, trying to push away the urge to kiss him. He notices and reads me like a book. Instantly I'm on my feet and he presses his lips against mine. The kiss is intimate and passionate. My mind immediately goes blank and my instincts take over. Tears stream down my face. He breaks the kiss and pulls me into him.

"I love you Bree." He whispers before he joins the club outside. I follow him to say good-bye to my brother. I stroll over to where he stands with Lyla and dad. The old man gives me a rough kiss on my cheek and walks away; giving us an opportunity to talk.

"Don't." I warn him after they're out of earshot.

"What?" He asks, confused.

"Don't ask me if I'm all right or ok or if I need anything. Just don't." I shake my head in irritation.

"Why the fuck would I care?" He smiles at me.

"That's better asshole." I lean into him and give him a hug.

"Want me to make it look like an accident?" He jokes, watching Filip and Happy talk a short distance away.

"Nah, I'll get him in his sleep when he gets back." I wink at him. "Just keep him safe Op. You too. I'll help Lyla with the kids; don't worry about anything here."

"I know you will. I don't think I've thanked you enough for all your help. . ." He starts.

"Stop, we're even. It's what we do. If we didn't help each other, we'd have to depend on them." I point to Mary and Piney, flirting and talking.

"Jesus. I hope not." He laughs as he gets on his bike. The guys follow suit and peel outta the gate before it's closed again. Lyla and I head into the clubhouse to check on everyone still hanging around.

* * *

We all gather at St. Thomas early the next morning, waiting for word on Gemma. I had just fallen asleep last night when the sirens and lights woke me. I flew out the door of the clubhouse in a frantic mess to see them taking her away in the ambulance. Jaxson explained that she came back looking for Abel.

Now I was fighting exhaustion and I was beyond cranky. Opie brought me a coffee without saying a word. I sat curled up in a waiting room chair. Tara had come out a few times with little news and only word of more tests. So far we knew it wasn't a heart attack and that she was stable but with her heart issues, we didn't know how long that would last.

"You should head home and get some sleep." Jaxson kicks the leg of my chair. "I'll call you when she wakes up."

"I'm stuck till someone gives me a ride home." I answer with a little more annoyance than I mean to.

"One of the guys will take you home. Tig, Juice, Bobby. Just ask crabby." He tries to tease me and I shoot him a look. He walks away, stopping to talk to Tig, Filip and Opie. I lean my head back and close my eyes. Someone falls into the chair next to me.

"Need a ride home sweetheart?" Somehow I knew it would be him.

"Yeah, I guess I do." I sigh, pushing myself up and walking toward the exit without a word. He catches up to me easily and we walk out to the parking lot. I throw my leg over the back of his back and wrap my hands around his chest. I lean into him and the familiar scent makes me even more agitated.

He gets me home quickly and I jump off the bike. He parks it and walks with me to the door. We stand there awkwardly for a moment.

"Wanna come in?" I don't know what possesses me to ask him.

"Of course." He answers, following me through the door. I go straight to my bedroom to pull on some comfy clothes.

While I'm digging in the closet, he stops in my doorway, looking around my room. Jaxson and my dad had cleaned up the glass and broken furniture, leaving the room looking a little bare.

"How did it go with Gemma? I still didn't hear what actually happened." I call out from the closet while I pull on a tank top and my favorite SAMCRO sweats. I throw my hair in a pony tail. He explains about her father and Tig being shot. I only half-way listen, trying not to yawn.

"Ya need ta get some sleep." He tells me softly. I nod and crawl into bed. He turns to leave and a exhausted insanity settles in.

"Stay with me Filip? I know you need the sleep too." I mumble almost incoherently.

"Ya sure?" He hesitates at the door and I pat the spot next to me on the bed without answering. He takes off his kutte, hanging it on the chair and kicks off his boots before crawling into bed next to me.

I crawl up to his chest and settle myself against him before falling into a peaceful sleep for the first time in weeks. He curls his arm around me.


	38. Chapter 38

"This is Piney." My dad grabs the phone from Chucky and growls into it. I watch his face from the doorway. The guys have been gone for a few days and Chucky has helped me keep the garage going. It's been relatively quiet with the exception of Kozik and Tig constantly wanting to kill each other in the garage.

"What the hell do you want?" My dad's angry, his face turning several shades of red. I hurry to his side, making sure he's ok. He listens to the person on the other end for a few minutes before hanging up.

"What's going on dad?" I ask, my arms crossed over my chest. Chucky leaves the office, giving us some privacy.

"That fucking Mexican has Tara and the bitch from the hospital." He drops his voice, while he knocks on the window to get Tig's attention. "Holding her for ransom."

I move past the initial shock and move into auto-pilot.

"You and the boys go handle this. Take prospects if you have to. I'll call in some of the others for the day. Just go." I push him out the door where Tig meets him, watching the exchange between us with a curious expression.

"I'm supposed to get the kids after school for Lyla, she's not feeling well." He turns back to me.

"I got em. You just go now." I reassure him.

I'm able to get a few of the guys in on their day off and Chucky helps me rearrange the schedule. After the guys leave, my phone lights up. I don't recognize the number.

"Yeah." I answer cautiously.

"It's me Bree." Jaxson's voice is gritty and low.

"Oh my God, please tell me you're ok." I whisper, hurrying to lock myself in the office.

"It's been a crazy week sweetie." I listen to him without interruption as he tells me about the issues with police, Jimmy and now the two rats. He's exhausted and at his wits end. "How're things there?" Moment of truth, I needed to lie to him.

"I ain't gonna lie Jaxson, it's been hard without you guys here. I miss you, Opie. . . Filip. We've been busy at the garage. Tig and Kozik are gonna end up killing each other." He laughs a little at that. "But don't worry, we're all helping out and getting through it. Everyone's just waiting for Abel to come home." It wasn't a complete lie and he doesn't question it. I hear the music and voices in the background and realize how late it probably is there. "How's he doing Jax?"

"I really don't know. This has been hard on him, seeing his daughter and Fiona; then his nephew getting blown up by a Son." I hear him sigh on the other end. "He's ready to come home." I don't say anything. There are a million catty questions I could ask, details I could demand but I don't want to. I wanted Filip to decide and either way, I had to accept whatever he decided.

"What about Tara?" He asks.

"She's been a huge help, coming in to the garage after work to help me out and taking turns picking up the kids for Lyla." He doesn't ask for any details either. I feel miserable keeping this secret from him but he's going to do us no good from half a world away. Back to this stupid game.

"I gotta go Bree. You tell them we're safe and we'll be home soon." He tells me without emotion. I can tell he's hiding something and I let him for now. We'll talk more when I can see if he's lying to me.

"I love you Jaxson. You tell my brother the same thing. All of you better get your asses home." Tears threaten my eyes. "Tell Filip I love him ok?"

"Yeah, I will. I love you baby girl. Take care." He disconnects and I drop my head to the desk. Every time we seal up one dam, another bursts. The constant chaos is taking its toll on this club, on this family.

* * *

Time passes as I wait for news from both sides of our club. My fingers drum lazily against the bar. The boys were called into Charming PD an hour ago with some kind of news. I feel helpless. Tig calls me and tells me what happened.

"What do we do now Tig?" I ask.

"Gotta call the boys." He sighs on the other end.

"I'll do it." I offer.

"No, no. This falls on us." He asks me to do some favors before hanging up.

Kozik and Tig are back at the club house within minutes. They're actually getting along when they walk in together.

"Thank God you're back. What's going on? What'd Jaxson say?" I jump off the stool.

"Whoa, no 'hey big Tiggy, I missed you, I love you.'?" He smirks at me.

"Hey Kozik. Now Tig, what the fuck is going on?" Kozik laughs as he comes to sit down next to me.

"No news on Tara yet but Abel's safe, they'll be home tomorrow." Tig tells me as he puts his arm around me. I grit my teeth at the wave of nausea. Even though I had become used to faking things around Clay and Tig, each time they came near I was disgusted.

"That's amazing. I'll get shit set up, welcome our boys home." I move away from him, heading toward the door.

"Make sure you call the bitches or we'll never hear the end of it." Tig calls behind me with a sneer.

I'm almost to my car when Kozik jogs out to catch me.

"Bree, wait up." He calls. I stop and turn to wait for him. "You shouldn't go home alone."

"Wow, you've been hanging around Tig too much." I give him an odd look. "You're gonna need a way better line than that."

"Not like that, Salazar's nuts. He got Tara, I don't want something happening to you too." He explains himself. "Stay in one of the rooms here, that way Tig and I can keep an eye on you."

"Yeah, ok. I can do that. But if you hear Tig screaming tonight he was castrated for trying something." I warn him as we walk back to the clubhouse. Tig is already in one of the back rooms with one or two of the girls who were still up.

"Have a drink?" Kozik offers, handing me a glass. I take it gladly accepting the distraction.

"How have you been?" I ask. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"All right." He says, taking a drink from his glass. "What about you? And don't give me this I'm fine bullshit you've been shoving down everyone else's throat."

I fall to the couch, putting my legs under me and he sits down next to me. I stare at my glass, searching for answers in my whiskey. Nothing comes to mind.

"Honestly, since Donna's death shit's been crazy. We haven't had a moment to breathe. You know?" I don't look up at him.

"What's goin on with you and the Scot?" He asks the one question I wish he hadn't.

"We're . . . complicated." I finally decide on the word.

"Shit, all relationships are complicated." He turns on the couch to face me.

"Well thank you for your wisdom. Get that off a fortune cookie?" He chuckles.

"What are you gonna do if he comes back with the wife and kid?" I wonder who he's been talking to. I figure it's Happy but don't ask.

"I don't know." I confess.

"You're a good girl Bree. You deserve better than to be sitting here waiting for someone to maybe come home to you." He turns serious.

"I seem to recall a certain someone who bailed when I asked them to give up the crow-eaters." I take a sip of my drink and wait for him to say something. His face flushes. I roll my eyes at him and stand up. I take my glass to the bar and pour another drink. I don't realize he's behind me until his hand grazes my hip. I whip around to face him and he's right there.

"What are you doing?" I ask, my voice shaky and uncertain. Memories from my teenage rebellion resurface and I remember how great of a kisser he is.

"I was a kid. Young and dumb. So were you." He says, putting each of his hands on the bar around me. I lean back on my elbows.

"And now?" I ask.

"Now, part of me wanted to slit Chibs' throat open when I heard what he did to you." He leans in closer and I can't help but to stare at his lips.

"He didn't do anything. It was all on me." I tell him, closing my eyes.

"Bullshit!" He pushes himself away from the bar. "You're broken and you didn't do that to yourself."

"You don't know what you're talking about." I wrap my arms around myself, slightly surprised by his outburst but I choose to blame it on the alcohol.

"I know you love him and you're lying to everyone, including yourself." He leans against the pool table. "Just now, you had your chance to kiss me, something I know you used to love. Instead, you shut down. You couldn't do it. You can't 'betray' him even though you owe him nothing. He left you here to go be with his wife."

"Yeah, and it's killing me." I tell him.

"I know. We all see it." His voice turns soft again.

"I did not love kissing you." I laugh at him, eager to change the subject. He laughs and shakes his head at me. We hang out and catch up for a little while longer before I finally head to bed. I lock myself in Filip's room and curl up into his bed, surrounding myself with his scent.


	39. Chapter 39

The black van comes to a stop in front of us as Lyla and I wait at the picnic table. She jumps up and rushes over to greet my brother the moment he steps out of the van. He scoops her up and kisses her. I smile at their open display of affection. I stay where I am, waiting for the crowd to thin out. I smile at Jaxson who catches my eye over Tig's shoulder.

I stand up as he walks over, a huge grin on his face. Gemma holds Abel nearby. I reach up to give Jaxson a hug.

"I'm so glad you're here. I missed you." I tell him. "You kept them safe and you brought your son home."

"Any word on Tara?" He asks. I shake my head as I bite my lip nervously.

"We're stepping into church right away; go keep my mom out of trouble hey?" He laughs as the guys catch up with him and head inside. Opie stops to pick me up and swing me around like he used to when we were kids. I smile against his kutte until he puts me back down.

"Welcome home Op." I greet him.

"Good to be back." He rubs my arm before we follow everyone inside. Gemma decides she wants to stick around for a little while. Nobody's stupid enough to argue with her. She hands Abel to Lyla and follows Jaxson down the hall.

Kozik makes eye contact with me from across the bar, laughing with Happy and Juice. I bite my lip and turn away, only to catch Filip staring at me. His eyes move from me to Kozik and back. Kozik catches him watching us and throws me a sexy smile. I narrow my eyes at him and turn back to Lyla and my nephew.

"What the hell was all that?" She whispers to me.

"Half over-protective bullshit, half pissing contest." She shakes her head laughing at me and I take my nephew from her arms.

"Come here my little man. Auntie Bree missed you." I coo to him. He's laughing and babbling. I kiss his soft cheek and bounce him on my hip. I walk over and sit down on the couch, cuddling with him. A few seconds later, Kozik sits down next to me just like last night.

"You'd make a good mom." He tells me.

"You're insane." I shake my head at him. "What the hell was that by the way?"

"Just wanted to see what his reaction would be." He takes a sip of beer.

"She's not with him." I point out, looking over at Filip talking with Tig.

"No, she's not." He agrees.

* * *

**Filip's POV**

"What's up with that Tiggy?" I ask, pointing toward Kozik and Bree.

"Don't know man." He answers, staring at Kozik. She looks over at me, her face flushes and she turns away quickly.

"What about you and her?" Tig asks, taking a long drink. I can't help but watch her.

"I don't know." I finally look away from her.

"Better figure it out." He says before walking away.

* * *

It's dark by the time we get back to TM. Jax and Clay stay at the hospital until Tara is released. For once, everyone is home and safe, until tomorrow. The guys are feeling good when we walk into the bar. Bree is behind the bar, pouring drinks for the gathering group. Her sexy smile is in place but it doesn't reach her eyes. Her normally vivid green eyes are pale and cold.

Happy joins her and they have some kind of tense conversation. She stares down at her feet, shifting from one to another. They finish up whatever they're talking about and she squeezes past Happy and hurries down the hall.

I follow Bree to the dorms, Kozik watches me the entire way. She's sitting on my bed when I walk in; her hands on both sides of her, holding on to the mattress. Her beautiful dark hair falls to the side of her face, hiding her from me. I close the door behind me and take a few steps toward her.

She looks up at me and her face breaks into the beautiful smile I've spent nights thinking about. She moves back on the bed and turns to face me. At closer look, I notice her eyes are red-rimmed and tears well up inside them.

"That's the welcome home I've been looking forward to." I mutter.

"I'm glad you're safe." She says, her eyes dropping back to her lap. "I'm glad you came back."

"She stayed in Ireland." I reassure her.

"Her choice or yours?" She asks.

"I didn't ask her to come with." I sit down on the edge of the bed, next to her.

"Did you want to stay?" Her voice cracks.

"No."

"The logical thing for me to do is ask why, but I don't know if I want to know the answer to that." I reach out my hand to her and pull her to me. She lays her head in my lap.

"This is why Bree. I'm here baby." I try so hard to reassure her.

"And the next time she calls you?" She whispers.

"It will still be you." I move her hair from her face.

"I don't know how to make this work Filip." She looks up at me, her eyes growing cold. Finally she sits up.

"Stay tonight. Just stay here and we'll figure it out in the morning." I'm prepared to beg if I have to. She just nods, emotionless. She goes to the bathroom to get ready for bed and I pull off my clothes before climbing into bed.

When she walks out my mouth falls open. She's dressed in my T-M shirt, unbuttoned. Under it she wears nothing. Her hair is pulled back loosely. I readjust my growing dick and quickly get out of bed again. She slides over and leans against the wall, her hands fidgeting with the hem of the shirt.

"What are ya doin love?" I manage a weak groan when her hand travels slowly down her stomach and between her legs. She buries her finger inside herself and the show in front of me has me suddenly standing a few inches from her. I cover her busy hand with my own, helping her along. She pushes her ass back into the wall harder, coming close to her orgasm already.

"I'm gonna cum Filip." She moans and I slide my free hand into her open shirt, pinching and massaging her erect nipple.

I lower my mouth to it and suck it hard in between my lips. Before she reaches her release, she turns around and pulls me against her in one quick movement. The shirt hangs just above her round, firm ass as she grinds it into me. She guides my fingers back to her wetness begging me for a quick finish. When I ease two fingers deep inside her, her knees buckle a little and I feel her tighten around me.

I quickly pull my boxers down and push into her from behind. She pushes back against me as I pump into her delicious, tight pussy. Her loud moans echo through the quiet room, each one pushing me closer. Suddenly she pushes me away and I growl in frustration. Laughing she walks over to the bed and crawls on it. She lies down on her back, bending her knees apart to give me access.

My body covers her as I push deep inside her over and over. Her moans turn to whimpers and I know she's close to another orgasm. I thrust harder and feel her shudder underneath me, sending waves over the both of us. She bucks underneath me, sending me over the edge as I spill everything deep inside her.

* * *

**Aubrey's POV**

The next morning, I sneak out of the room dressed in denim shorts, a black tank top and a long sleeve shirt. I make my way down the hall to the kitchen where Gemma and some of the other girls are already cooking. I pour myself a cup of coffee and jump in to help out. Gemma keeps a careful eye on me as she carries food back and forth from the kitchen.

"Where's my sister?" I hear Opie call and I duck into the bar quickly. Filip is at the bar talking with Gemma and I avoid eye contact with him.

"What the hell are you yelling for?" I ask him with a wide grin. "I'm right fucking here."

"Ever the lady, this one." He laughs at me as he puts his arm around me and kisses my forehead.

"Who's fault is that?" I joke. Everyone chuckles around us. Lyla is wearing a massive grin.

"All right everyone, Lyla has something she wants to say." Opie calls out, everyone quiets down.

"We're getting married." She flashes her hand and the large ring catches the light. Everyone gathers in quickly, hugging the happy couple and offering congratulations.

Shots are pushed into everyone's hands and we all raise them in a toast. Finally we're surrounded by good news. Our family is complete. As we all thin out around the club, grabbing plates of food and having random conversations, Jaxson corners me.

"Got a minute?" He asks as if I have a choice. I nod and we head back to his dorm room. He locks the door behind us and I sit down in the ugly brown chair. He flops down to the bed and sighs loudly.

He fills me in on everything; the deal with Stahl, the issues with Jimmy, how he found Abel and about Tara being pregnant. He tells me everything about Belfast, all the family secrets that came out. I can't believe the burden he's been walking with. He tells me what he needs from me today and later on tonight. He knows I can't be there when he gets arrested; I need to make sure I can provide alibi's and explain things to people.

Part of me is relieved that I won't have to watch this. When he is done, I have my own questions. He knows everything that happened while he was gone and understands why I lied. I need to know what else happened in Belfast.

"Fi and Filip?" I ask; not needing to elaborate what I wanted to hear.

"She wanted to come back with him or for him to stay. He told her no. He kissed her on the forehead and told her goodbye. She wasn't happy about it and she said some pretty nasty things about you but he walked away, ignoring her." He tells me. "What's going on with you Kozik? Tig said you two were looking close."

"Just friends, weirdly enough. There's been some flirting but that's it." I shrug. "I kinda . . . sorta spent the night with Filip." I confess, staring at my hands.

"We heard you. You're crazy. You know that right?" He jokes.

"Certifiable." I agree. I leave him alone after that, letting him pack up his stuff to take home.

The guys are prepping to go in today and it pains me to watch them rush around, making arrangements. I put on a normal face as I work in the garage, watching the drama from a distance. The weight of what I have to do today settles in my chest. I knew the damage this could do to our family but understood why he had to do it. Filip smiles at me from the lot and I blush furiously.

With everything piling up, I need to talk to someone. It's too much. Jaxson is busy today so I head to the one person I know will keep a secret.

* * *

When I pull into the cemetery, a rush of sadness hits me. This place is a testament to those we lost. I couldn't help but feel as if our family were broken. Someone had placed fresh flowers on Donna's grave. I set down the pink roses I brought next to them and sat down on the ground.

"I know this is probably the weirdest shit I've done but I didn't know who else to go to. These secrets are killing me Donna. They're killing us. There are some days that I get it; why you wanted out. I never knew what it was like being that far in." I ramble on for some time, tearfully giving my sister-in-law a play-by-play that I wasn't sure if she could even hear. I leave out the parts about Lyla, just reassuring her that Opie is healing. It doesn't feel right to bring that up. It was a long, slow release of tension and by the time I finish talking, I am drained.

"Jesus, now you're talking to the dead?" Jaxson's voice startles me and I peek up at him, squinting in the sun.

"You come to see your dad?" I ask, rising to my feet and dusting off the back of my legs. He stares down at Donna's headstone.

"Of course." He wrings his hands.

"You ever think maybe it would have been better if we all took Donna's advice? Got out of this place?" I ask him.

"I'm not sure anymore sis. I just don't know." He puts his arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple.

"You be careful in there Jaxson and you come home to your family. And if your ass can't pull this off, I'll kill you." I promise him.

"I know you will. I need you to be safe too. Stay out of trouble. Come on, we gotta go." He leads me out of the cemetery and to my car. I give him a hug and kiss, knowing we won't see each other from here on out, not till this blows over.

* * *

My phone lights up with calls from Gemma. I ignore her, hanging out in Filip's apartment alone, avoiding her. I watch a movie in silence, not actually paying much attention to what is on the screen. Opie texts me to check in and I let them know I'm safe. The one person I want to text me, doesn't.

Tara's prepaid number finally shows up on my screen.

_We're done._

_ You ok?_

_Yeah_

_ Hang in there, we'll talk soon._

I turn off the phone and stand up. Jaxson gave me specific instructions, asking for only a few favors. Looking down at the clock on my radio, I realize that by now the guys had been taken in. It was time for me to wait. I take a table at a Lodi restaurant and watch the door, expectantly.

"More coffee?" The bored waitress asks and I nod, still staring straight ahead. The approaching sound of motorcycles calms my weak stomach. Kozik, Filip, Opie and dad make their way across the diner and sit down with me. I finally turn on my phone and pull up Tara's number.

_Did you get your letter?_

_ Yeah, are you guys ok?_

_We're fine. Tell Gemma._

Kozik sits next to me, his arm stretched across the back of the booth casually. Filip watches us from across the table with dark eyes. I move away from Kozik and talk to my brother. He seems at peace for the moment and I know how much he needed what happened today. He smiles a genuine smile and I can't help but to return it.


End file.
